Flight tracking apps turn your phone into an air traffic control screen: any commercial flight, anywhere in the world, shown live on a map with its route, altitude, speed and arrival time. They are useful for travellers waiting for a pickup, for aviation enthusiasts who want to identify the plane overhead, and for anyone who has ever wondered where their delayed flight actually is. The best apps are free to start, and the differences between them are worth knowing before you download one.

Flightradar24: the most popular tracker

Flightradar24 is the best-known flight tracker, and for good reason: it covers more than 180,000 flights a day, its map is fast and clear, and its free version shows live positions, flight numbers, routes and basic aircraft details. Point your phone at a plane overhead and the augmented reality view identifies it instantly. The paid Silver and Gold plans add weather layers, more history, and alerts for specific flights. Its weakness is that its coverage depends on a network of volunteer receivers, so coverage can be thin in remote areas, and some military and private flights are hidden.

FlightAware: the most detailed data

FlightAware is the tracker for people who want data, not just a map. It shows detailed flight history, gate information, delay predictions and airport conditions, and it is the app airlines themselves often use. Its free version is generous, and its paid plans add alerts and more history. FlightAware's data comes from a mix of air traffic control feeds, airline data and its own receiver network, which makes it particularly strong in the United States. If you want to know why your flight is delayed, or what gate it will arrive at, FlightAware is the better choice.

Plane Finder and the alternatives

Plane Finder is a strong alternative with a clean interface, 3D view and good coverage, and it is popular with enthusiasts who want a fast, simple tracker. ADSB Exchange is the choice for users who want unfiltered data, including military and private flights that other trackers hide, though its interface is less polished. Your airline's own app is also worth having, because it shows your specific flight's gate, baggage and rebooking options, which the trackers do not. Most aviation fans run two apps: one for the map and one for the details.

What flight trackers cannot show

Flight trackers have real limits. They show the plane's position, not its status: a plane can be on the ground and still delayed, or in the air and still diverted. They depend on ADS-B signals, which means aircraft without ADS-B — mostly older or military aircraft — do not appear. And their delay predictions are estimates, not guarantees, because air traffic control decisions change constantly. Use a tracker for situational awareness, not as a source of truth, and check your airline's app for the official status of your flight.

Using flight tracking as a traveller

As a traveller, a flight tracker is most useful for three things: checking whether your incoming aircraft has arrived before you leave for the airport, following a family member's flight so you know exactly when to leave for pickup, and identifying the plane overhead when you are planespotting. Set up an alert for your flight the day before you travel, and you will know about delays before the airline tells you. It is a small habit that removes a lot of airport anxiety, it costs nothing on the free plan of any of these apps, and once you start using it you will wonder how you ever travelled without it.