Real time flight information
Flight trackers have evolved from standalone websites into savvy mobile apps that allow travelers to check their flight’s status. Easy to use, they can save passengers time, money and aggravation by alerting fliers of significant delays or cancellations. No more unnecessary waiting at the airport for departures or pick-ups. No extra parking fees. No stranded loved ones.
While all flight tracking apps have common features, each may have its own individual functions, design, and configuration. Choosing your favorite is simply a matter of finding which works best for you.
Flight tracking apps do just what their names imply: track the location of flights – in the air and on the ground – in relation to their departure and arrival locations and times. Covering almost every flight and airport worldwide, trackers usually include a flight’s path, altitude and airspeed, and in some cases, an overlay showing weather conditions.
Additional features sometimes include airport maps, gate and baggage claim information, alternative flight listings, airplane seating charts, and the option to sync with other services such as calendars.
These apps are available via website, as well as for Android and iPhone devices.
Track your flights
Flight Radar 24 by FlightRadar24 – Offers one of the coolest features anywhere. Users can identify a particular flight by pointing their phone’s camera at a plane they see in the sky.
Flight Update by Silverware Software – Has a clean, uncluttered interface that includes cool use of color and airline logos, and email-able results right from the flight’s pages.
Flight Status by TouchMeme – An excellent and robust interface that makes great use of color codes for delays and on-time flights. Also, flight times are given down to the minute.
Flight Tracker Live by Shoreline Animation – Shows both scheduled and actual arrivals and departures, as well as gate information.
FlightAware by FlightAware – Allows users to track both commercial and private flights within the US and Canada.
FlightBoard by Mobiata – Takes a different approach by replicating the giant flight boards found in airports. Users can view flight statuses from multiple worldwide airports on one screen.
FlightTrack and FlightTrack Pro by Mobiata – Has a nice, streamlined interface and can track international flights, even when used outside of the United States.
FlightView by Flightview – Includes detailed airport and gate info, and has more weather options than its competitors.
flightwise by Aviation Data Systems – Built more for aviation and flight enthusiasts than the general flier, it has a great search function for when you don’t know a specific flight’s number.
(Featured image: benfrantzdale)
