How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- A flight tracker app has one job that matters most: telling you about a delay, gate change or cancellation before you hear it from the airport.
- Flighty is the best pick for frequent flyers, because its alerts often arrive before airline notifications and it tracks your inbound aircraft.
- Flightradar24 is the best pick for watching planes on a live map, while FlightAware is the best free source for plain flight status and airport data.
- Most trackers here are free to start. Pay only if you fly often enough that early delay alerts and full flight history are worth an annual subscription.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Flightradar24 | Watching live air traffic on a world map | Free | Yes |
 FlightAware | Free flight status, airport boards and aviation data | Free | Yes |
 Flighty | Frequent flyers who want the fastest delay alerts | Free | Yes |
 Plane Finder | A simple live plane map without clutter | Free | Yes |
 FlightStats | Flight status plus airport weather and delay context | $2.99 | Yes |
 AirNav Radar | Global tracking with fleet and airport status data | Free | Yes |
 ADS-B Exchange | Aviation enthusiasts who want unfiltered tracking data | Free | Yes |
 TripIt | Flight tracking inside a full trip itinerary | Free | Yes |
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The best flight tracker app
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Flightradar24 is the tracker most people picture when they think of a live flight map. Open the map and you see thousands of aircraft moving in real time, each clickable for route, altitude, speed, aircraft type and registration. You can search by flight number, airport, route or tail number, and follow a single flight from gate to gate.
The free app covers the core use case well: checking where a flight is and when it will land. Paid plans add longer history, more map layers and weather overlays. One practical note: the desktop site needs a browser with WebGL2 support, so if the map shows a browser warning, the mobile app is the simpler route. For aviation fans and curious watchers, no other app matches the map experience.
What we like- Largest live map with global coverage
- App available on iOS and Android
- Search by flight, route, airport or registration
Watch out for- Full map needs a WebGL2-capable browser on desktop
- Advanced layers and history sit behind paid plans
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
FlightAware started as a flight tracking site for aviation professionals and still shows it in the best way: the data is deep. Search a flight and you get scheduled, estimated and actual times, gate info where available, aircraft details and a full track log. Airport pages show arrivals, departures and delays in one place, which is handy when you are picking someone up.
The site also powers business products like AeroAPI and a Firehose data feed, but travelers do not need those. The free site and app cover status checks and alerts for most trips. If your main question is "is this flight on time" rather than "where is this plane on a map," FlightAware is the most complete free answer.
What we like- Deep flight status and airport data for free
- Flight history and airport delay pages
- Developer API for businesses
Watch out for- Map experience is less polished than Flightradar24
- Some advanced products are aimed at businesses, not travelers
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Flighty is the app frequent flyers recommend to each other, and the reason is speed. It watches your inbound aircraft, so it can warn you about a delay two legs before your flight, sometimes before the airline posts anything. Users report learning about cancellations and gate changes while standing at the gate, ahead of the crew announcements.
The app also tracks 14,000-plus airports with live arrivals, departures and disruption warnings, from weather and de-icing to staffing and taxiway congestion. Flighty Passport turns your history into a record of miles, most-flown aircraft and worst delays, and the app has won an Apple Design Award. More than 3 million people use it. The free tier covers basic tracking, while Pro adds the full alert speed and history. If you fly several times a year, Pro is the one subscription in this list worth paying for.
What we like- Alerts often beat airline notifications
- Tracks your inbound aircraft
- Flighty Passport records lifetime flight history
- Family sharing for up to 5 members
Watch out for- IOS-focused experience
- Full features need a Pro subscription
- No desktop map to match Flightradar24
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Plane Finder does one thing and does it cleanly: a live map of aircraft with search by flight number, route or registration. The interface is less crowded than larger trackers, which suits users who just want to find a plane and watch it. The app versions on iOS and Android avoid the desktop WebGL requirement entirely.
There are fewer extras here, no trip itineraries or deep airport analytics, but for watching a specific flight or browsing overhead traffic, simplicity is a feature. Plane Finder is a good second app to keep alongside a status-focused tracker like FlightAware.
What we like- Clean live map
- Search by flight, route or registration
- Apps on iOS and Android
Watch out for- Desktop map needs WebGL working correctly
- Fewer extra features than Flightradar24
Starting price$2.99
Free planYes
FlightStats is run by Cirium, a major aviation data company, and that backing shows in the data quality. The free site gives flight status, airport delay information and weather, while premium subscriptions starting at $2.99 add advanced tools for frequent travelers. Its mobile apps have been downloaded more than 10 million times.
The site design is functional rather than beautiful, and the map is not the draw here. Choose FlightStats when you want reliable status plus context, such as whether weather at the destination airport is driving delays, and when you trust a data company over a consumer app brand.
What we like- Trusted status data from Cirium
- Airport weather and delay pages
- Mobile apps downloaded more than 10 million times
Watch out for- Premium tools need a subscription starting at $2.99
- Interface feels more like a data site than a modern app
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
AirNav Radar, formerly known as RadarBox, is a global flight tracker with a strong app presence on iOS and Android. It offers live tracking, fleet tracking for following all aircraft of one airline, and playback to replay past flights. Airport status pages round out the traveler features.
The free tier covers casual tracking, while premium accounts add features and remove session timeouts, which web visitors may occasionally hit. If you already use the AirNav Radar app, the web tracker is a useful companion, but first-time users may find Flightradar24 or FlightAware smoother on desktop.
What we like- Live global tracking
- Fleet tracker and playback features
- Airport status pages
Watch out for- Homepage sometimes shows a session timeout page on web fetch
- Premium accounts remove timeouts and add features
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
ADS-B Exchange is the enthusiast choice. It shows unfiltered ADS-B data, including aircraft that other commercial trackers filter out, and it is free to use without an account. You can search by registration, filter by aircraft type, replay past flights and export data as KML.
The trade-off is usability. The interface is built for people who know what a squawk code is, and there is no friendly trip alert system or itinerary view. For plane spotters, researchers and hobbyists, that rawness is the appeal. For a traveler who just wants to know if a flight is delayed, FlightAware or Flighty will serve better.
What we like- Free and open
- Unfiltered data including aircraft other trackers hide
- Playback and export options
- No account needed for the map
Watch out for- Technical interface that assumes aviation knowledge
- No polished mobile app or trip alerts
- Data presentation is raw
#8
TripIt
Best for: Flight tracking inside a full trip itinerary
Visit tripit.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
TripIt takes a different approach: instead of opening a tracker and searching, you forward booking confirmations to TripIt and it builds your whole itinerary automatically. Flights, hotels, rental cars and activities land in one timeline, and TripIt Pro adds real-time flight alerts, gate reminders and guidance on when to leave for the airport.
That makes TripIt the best tracker for business travelers juggling multi-stop trips, since flight status lives next to the hotel address and car pickup time. It is not a map app, and you will not browse overhead traffic on it. Pair TripIt with Flightradar24 if you want both itinerary tracking and a live map.
What we like- Builds itineraries automatically from confirmation emails
- Real-time flight alerts with TripIt Pro
- Covers hotels, cars and activities in one plan
Watch out for- Tracking is tied to your itinerary, not open map browsing
- Best alerts need the Pro plan
How we chose
We compared vendor homepages, app store listings and aviation guides in October 2026, and opened each homepage to confirm it loads and belongs to the app named. One planned pick, App in the Air, was dropped because its homepage only returned a redirect with no verified destination, and TripIt took its place. We weighted alert speed, map quality, data depth, free tier usefulness and cross-device availability, since the best tracker is the one you actually check before leaving for the airport.
What to look for in a flight tracker app
Start with how you fly. Occasional flyers checking on family arrivals need a free status tool like FlightAware or FlightStats. Frequent flyers need alert speed above all, which points to Flighty. Aviation fans who watch planes for fun need a map-first app like Flightradar24, Plane Finder or ADS-B Exchange.
Then check alerts before you pay. Free tiers on most apps here include basic status, but the fastest delay warnings and full history usually sit behind a subscription. If you fly twice a year, free is enough. If you fly monthly, a Pro plan can save a missed connection at least once, which pays for itself in avoided rebooking stress.
Finally, think about where you check. Map apps shine on a big screen or tablet, while alert apps matter on your phone at the airport. Many travelers end up with two apps: one for the map at home and one for alerts on the go. That combination is normal, and it costs nothing on the free tiers here.
One more practical point: set up alerts for arrivals you are meeting, not just flights you are taking. A pickup driver who gets a landing notification and a gate or baggage carousel update can time the airport run far better than someone refreshing a status page. Flighty, TripIt Pro and FlightAware all support alerts for flights you follow, so add the inbound flight the day before travel and let the app watch it for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free flight tracker app?
FlightAware for status and airport data, and Flightradar24 for the live map. Both are free to start and cover the most common checks without a subscription.
Which flight tracker gives the fastest delay alerts?
Flighty, because it tracks your inbound aircraft and can warn about delays before the airline posts them. Its Pro plan carries the full alert features.
Can I track a flight without knowing the flight number?
Yes. Search by route, airport or aircraft registration on Flightradar24, Plane Finder or ADS-B Exchange, or browse the live map for aircraft near a location.
Do flight tracker apps work for international flights?
Yes. All the apps here track flights worldwide, though coverage and data depth vary by region. ADS-B coverage is strongest in North America and Europe.
Is FlightAware or Flightradar24 better?
FlightAware is better for plain status, history and airport data. Flightradar24 is better for the live map and watching aircraft. Many travelers use both, since both are free.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.flightradar24.com
- https://flightaware.com
- https://flightyapp.com
- https://planefinder.net
- https://www.flightstats.com
- https://www.airnavradar.com
- https://globe.adsbexchange.com
- https://www.tripit.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.