How live is FlightAware's tracking and status data?
The data displayed on FlightAware.com is typically 30 seconds delayed from real-time. Maps animate the aircraft position toward the last known position. An aircraft's position on the map may lag real-time by 1-2 minutes.
FlightAware compiles, aggregates, and processes data from over 50 government sources (in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania), dozens of airlines, commercial data providers, as well as tens of thousands of receivers in FlightAware's ADS-B flight tracking network. FlightAware's proprietary algorithms calculate delay and arrival time estimates to offer the most up-to-date and reliable flight tracking data on the Internet. Not all worldwide data sources (e.g., most European data) or satellite/VDL data are freely available on FlightAware.com due to government regulations or commercial agreements. You can contact us if you have a commercial need for worldwide data.
General
I want to use FlightAware's flight tracking technology in my own application. Can I do that?
Yes, learn more about AeroAPI, Firehose and Integrated Mapping Solutions.
Flight page
Why do commercial and general-aviation flights appear differently on the flight status page?
Generally, different information is relevant for people tracking commercial flights versus people tracking GA flights. For example, to commercial travelers, the time a flight leaves and arrives at a gate is usually more important than the time the aircraft lands on the runway. This is also what is printed on airline tickets. For GA flights, the summary section is condensed so that the map is more visible on the page without scrolling.
For commercial flights we show:
The time a flight leaves and arrives at the gate, when available ("in" and "out" times). This is what is printed on airline tickets.
Three-letter airport codes by default.
The city and country of the origin and destination airports.
The airline's logo.
For general-aviation flights, we show:
The time a flight takes off from and lands on the runway ("off" and "on" times).
A photograph of the aircraft, or an aircraft of the same type, when available.
The summary section is condensed and moved to the top right so that the map is more visible on the page without scrolling.
Why does scheduled landing time occur after scheduled gate arrival time?
FlightAware receives airline schedules months in advance of the flight. Occasionally, the scheduled gate time will not change leading up to departure, even though there may be a departure or arrival delay causing the scheduled landing time to occur after the scheduled gate arrival time.
Tracking data
How does FlightAware handle flights around the world? What is FlightAware's service area?
FlightAware's primary service area includes airspace operated by the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam), portions of Central America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Flights in the primary service area support real time maps, departure and arrival information, delays, and more.
FlightAware's secondary service covers scheduled major airline operations at any airport in the world. Flights in the secondary service area support departure and arrival information. Secondary coverage areas may have real-time positions for ADS-B equipped aircraft operating in FlightAware's ADS-B coverage area. Additionally, some airlines send FlightAware satellite position reports from aircraft worldwide that augments other position data and provides transoceanic coverage as well.
For flights arriving in a service area from outside of a service area, FlightAware will be able to track the flight when it nears a service area. For flights departing a service area, FlightAware will be able to track the flight until it leaves the coverage area. Flights may not be tracked beyond that point unless they enter another service area.
Not all worldwide data sources (e.g., European data, datalink ARINC/SITA ACARS, etc) are freely available on FlightAware.com due to government regulations or commercial arrangements. You can contact us if you have a commercial need for worldwide data.
What is a position-only flight?
A position-only flight is a flight for which FlightAware has not received a filed flight plan (for example an airline flight that doesn't report its flight schedule to FlightAware or a VFR flight).
In those cases, if we receive position reports via ADS-B or another source, the flight can be trackable as a position-only flight.
Note that position-only flights do not have a filed origin, destination, or route, and the aircraft may enter and leave areas of coverage throughout the flight.
I'm seeing a lot of flights with no destination. What does that mean?
We now display position-only flights for all users. Therefore if an aircraft doesn't file a flight plan, you'll still be able to track it, but we don't know where its destination is.
What does it mean when a flight says "last seen near"?
We now display position-only flights for all users. Therefore if an aircraft doesn't file a flight plan, you'll still be able to track it, but if we don't know where its origin/destination is, we'll display the nearest airport or city
Why are planes moving on maps?
As part of FlightAware Live, whenever you see a plane logo on a map beneath the pan and zoom controls, you're seeing new positions of aircraft as quickly as we can get them to you, without the need to refresh the page.
Can FlightAware display additional flight information provided on an IFR flight plan such as pilot's name, address, phone number, number of people on board, and color of aircraft?
No, this information is not displayed.
FlightAware has this data in some countries, so if you have an operational need for this data, please contact us to discuss.
Can FlightAware tell me the tail number of a flight operating under a company name / flight number?
Yes. FlightAware.com uses this data to for a variety of features on the FlightAware.com web site. For example, you can usually track a flight by either the flight identifier (e.g., ABC123) or the registration number (e.g., N12345).
Please contact us if you have a commercial use for this data.
Can FlightAware track VFR flights? What about a VFR flight with a flight plan?
VFR flight tracking is supported but is subject to the availability of a position source such as radar or ADS-B data. Origin, destination, departure, arrival, and flight plan data may not be available. In Australia, VFR flights are fully supported by FlightAware as long as they have been assigned a transponder code.
VFR flight plans are irrelevant and only used by FSS for search and rescue. We suggest ensuring that aircraft are on an IFR flight plan from wheels up to wheels down for proper tracking.
How does FlightAware handle pop-up IFR flights?
The origin of a pop-up flight will likely be a radial off a VOR or an intersection at the discretion of the controller that opens the flight plan. This will look similar to a flight with a clearance fix (destination) of a VOR radial, Latitude/Longitude, or intersection instead of an airport.
How far back does FlightAware's airport history go when browsing through recent arrivals and departures?
Although FlightAware keeps the data forever, currently only the most recent seven days of activity are available for viewing.
What happens if an aircraft cancels an IFR flight plan en-route or prior to arrival?
The cancellation time will be marked as the arrival time for that flight. There is a chance that an aircraft could proceed VFR to another airport and confuse FlightAware, but the most likely scenario is that a pilot cancels IFR just moments prior to arrival, so assuming that the aircraft has arrived is the safest bet.
What do "estimated arrival" and "result unknown" mean?
This occurs when the arrival time of the flight passes without FlightAware marking the flight as "arrived" at a destination airport. The most likely reasons this happens are:
The controlling air-traffic control facility did not send an arrival message for the flight.
The aircraft entered a gap in FlightAware's coverage while in flight, and data is no longer available.
Why does FlightAware show an overly specific or incorrect aircraft description for a particular aircraft type?
A single aircraft type can have multiple names in the ICAO aircraft database. FlightAware picks the first one listed unless it has been pointed out to be inaccurate. As a result, it might display B738 as a "Boeing BBJ2" rather than "Boeing 737-800."
Why do the departure and arrival times on a scheduled airline differ from the information on the airline's web site?
Airlines generally display the times that the aircraft departs and arrives from a gate. When available, FlightAware also displays these times for airline flights. However, when these times are not available, FlightAware will display the time that an aircraft takes off from and lands on the runway. At large airports or in various circumstances, there can be a significant difference in gate and runway times due to long taxi times and other delays on the ground.
Can I track SpaceX's rockets or other space ships (UFOs, etc) on FlightAware during launch or descent?
No, but that would be rather amusing; the SpaceX rockets or UFOs would have to be on an IFR flight plan to be tracked or have an ADS-B OUT transponder. However, SpaceX does live stream the launches and rocket landings.
How does FlightAware handle "code share" flights?
FlightAware supports code shares, such as a United flight being operated by Lufthansa as well as "express" code shares where passengers are less likely to be aware of the situation such as United 4124 being operated by "United Express", which is actually ExpressJet Airlines.
When FlightAware says a flight is at 33,000 ft, for example, is that the real altitude or the flight level?
FlightAware displays flight levels as if they were true altitudes because the difference is negligible for our purposes. For further explanation on this topic, see Wikipedia's explanation of a Flight Level.
Are displayed flight altitudes AGL (above ground level) or MSL (mean sea level)?
Displayed altitudes are dependent on the data source for the position data. FlightAware receives many different types of altitude data, including uncorrected pressure altitude, corrected pressure altitude, flight levels, GPS-based height above mean sea level (MSL) and GPS-based height above ellipsoid. Data received from the FAA or other air navigation service providers is typically MSL. ADS-B data is frequently height above ellipsoid but there are exceptions. In general, it is best to assume altitudes are uncorrected pressure altitudes (a variation of MSL). FlightAware does not display AGL altitudes.
My company operates aircraft with a 3 character prefix and a flight number, yet all the flights are missing from FlightAware. What can I do?
In the US, please e-mail us the three letter ID, your radio call sign, the countries that you primarily fly to/from/within, the name of your company/airline, your address, as well as contact name with their phone number and e-mail address. Once we have received this information, we will send a request to the FAA and generally be able to begin tracking your aircraft within two weeks. Outside the US, please contact us to discuss flight tracking options.
My airplane's tail number starts with something other than N (e.g., XA-, VP-, etc.) and isn't showing up. How can I add it?
In the US, please e-mail us and we'll provide and generally be able to begin tracking your aircraft within two weeks.
Outside the US, please email or call to discuss flight tracking options.
Does FlightAware receive satcom/VDL data for aircraft with datalink uplinks?
Yes, FlightAware can receive satellite or VHF Data Link (VDL) data from ARINC, ARINC Direct, Garmin, Satcom Direct, SITA, Spidertracks, Honeywell GDC, and UVdatalink. You can contact us if you would like to setup you accounts to show this for your aircraft.
How do I let FlightAware know where my FBO is located on the airport?
In the dialogue box that appears, click in the Name field and add your polygon name with the following pattern: [4-letter Airport Code] - [FBO Name]. Example: "KABC - FBO Jet Center"
On the map, click to start adding points to the polygon.
Once you're finished, click OK on the dialogue box to finish adding the new polygon. Be sure to include the entire ramp area and all hangar space.
From the Places menu on the left-hand side of the window, right click on your newly added polygon and click Save Place As...
Save the file as a .kmz file to a familiar location on your computer.
Email the .kmz as an attachment to surfacefeatures@flightaware.com
Aireon Space-Based ADS-B
What is Aireon space-based ADS-B?
Aireon Space-Based ADS-B is the first and only solution for 100% truly global flight tracking coverage that exceeds modern flight tracking standards and significantly improves situational awareness for aircraft owners and operators. The Aireon ADS-B network is hosted on the new state-of-the-art Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, which consists of 66 low-earth orbit interconnected satellites. This space-based ADS-B network provides position updates anywhere in the world and eliminates coverage gaps over oceans, deserts and polar regions.
What is the partnership between FlightAware and Aireon?
Through its partnership with Aireon, FlightAware processes Aireon's space-based ADS-B data and delivers it to aircraft owners and operators through its APIs and web-based products.
FlightAware and Aireon have also worked together to create GlobalBeacon, a web-based, turnkey solution that exceeds GADSS standards for modern flight tracking.
Although FlightAware has a comprehensive network of ADS-B and radar as well as datalink connectivity for equipped aircraft, Aireon space-based ADS-B provides all aircraft—even those without expensive satellite-uplink equipment—with high-frequency flight tracking and eliminates coverage gaps over oceans, jungles, deserts, and the poles. Space-based ADS-B provides these services immediately and globally.
Will Aireon’s space-based ADS-B network replace FlightAware’s terrestrial ADS-B network of PiAwares and FlightFeeders?
No, FlightAware’s terrestrial ADS-B network will remain vital and enables us to provide the most accurate and comprehensive free flight tracking via our website and mobile apps. To continue growing our network, we are significantly increasing our production of FlightFeeders and our development of PiAware software. As of 2025, we have over 41,000 receivers deployed around the world.
Will Aireon space-based ADS-B data be available for free on FlightAware.com?
FlightAware is exploring ways to publicly leverage this data. Because this is an extremely expensive endeavor, our initial focus is on incorporating the data into commercial products to fund the project.
Throughout this process, we will continue to offer and improve our free network of PiAware and FlightFeeders that track aircraft via terrestrial ADS-B receivers.
What FlightAware products/services will include Aireon’s space-based ADS-B?
Who should I contact about a commercial use for this data?
Please contact FlightAware for commercial uses, data feeds, or distribution questions about Aireon’s ADS-B data or other FlightAware data APIs or products.
How can I sign up for FlightAware Global, GlobalBeacon, or another FlightAware product?
Are the satellites and the flight tracking data from them reliable?
Very. In fact, Aireon will be providing safety-critical surveillance for air traffic control use. Many air traffic control organizations—including NAV Canada, the Irish Aviation Authority, Naviair, ENAV, NATS UK, South Africa’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and Curaçao’s DC-ANSP—have already signed contracts to receive and use this data.
Do aircraft need extra equipment to be tracked by Aireon’s space-based ADS-B network?
No. Aireon's ADS-B receivers receive transmissions from the aircraft's ADS-B transponder. Since ADS-B equipage is now required by most governments, the vast majority of aircraft are able to take immediate advantage of Aireon space-based ADS-B without any modifications or additional equipment.
Are other global space-based ADS-B constellations in orbit?
No, Aireon is the first and only global constellation for the foreseeable future. A small number of research groups have launched single prototype short-term CubeSat test satellites to conduct ADS-B-related research, but none have plans or financing to develop, field, and operate a permanent global constellation.
What about existing satellite constellations that are used by aircraft operators today?
FlightAware receives traditional position reports via ACARS datalink messages, which use existing satellite constellations, and we will continue to do so. However, this technology has significant limitations: only a small percentage of the airline’s fleet is equipped with satellite datalink, and the constellations providing ACARS datalink do not work over the North Pole, a popular route for modern airliners. Additionally, aircraft require expensive hardware and costly subscriptions to be tracked via these constellations. Aireon space-based ADS-B provides truly global coverage without any coverage gaps and typically does not require any additional equipment.
What about other methods of eliminating coverage gaps (i.e. balloons, UAVs or boats)?
Building hardware to withstand the rigors of the ocean, creating balloons or autonomous solar-powered aircraft that can stay on station for months at a time, etc., simply is not possible today. Some of these methods are being researched, but each has highly problematic aspects preventing them from being effective solutions for the foreseeable future.
GlobalBeacon
How live is FlightAware's tracking and status data?
The data displayed on FlightAware.com is typically 30 seconds delayed from real-time. Maps animate the aircraft position toward the last known position. An aircraft's position on the map may lag real-time by 1-2 minutes.
FlightAware compiles, aggregates, and processes data from over 50 government sources (in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania), dozens of airlines, commercial data providers, as well as tens of thousands of receivers in FlightAware's ADS-B flight tracking network. FlightAware's proprietary algorithms calculate delay and arrival time estimates to offer the most up-to-date and reliable flight tracking data on the Internet. Not all worldwide data sources (e.g., most European data) or satellite/VDL data are freely available on FlightAware.com due to government regulations or commercial agreements. You can contact us if you have a commercial need for worldwide data.
Privacy
Are blocked tail numbers publicly visible on FlightAware?
Isn't the accessibility of this information violating the privacy of people traveling on private aircraft?
No, for many reasons:
The aircraft being displayed on FlightAware are operating in public airspace. They are arriving and departing from airports with their identification number painted on the aircraft. They are broadcasting their whereabouts and intentions on public radio frequencies. They are all using services provided by the federal government. Accordingly, this information is completely public in many forms.
Aircraft owners have the option of blocking their identification from being released to the public.
Countless companies offer services and information identical to FlightAware for a subscription fee.
Without Internet flight tracking, an individual could simply listen to the appropriate frequencies to hear their tail number of interest's next destination in the form of, "citation niner alpha mike, santa monica ground, you're cleared to las vegas executive as filed . . ." In the case of an individual trying to determine the tail number of an individual that is known to be departing a certain airport for a particular destination, they already know where the individual is going so there is hardly any knowledge gained in that circumstance. Even easier, aircraft owner information is available on the country's aircraft registry web site for search or download. If an individual doesn't have an aviation radio receiver, ATC (air traffic control) frequencies are broadcasted on countless web sites for enthusiasts and many web sites even archive ATC conversations for web users to download at a later date.
Understanding FlightAware
What does it mean when a time is in italics?
A time in italics generally means that the time or action is proposed, scheduled, or estimated, if it isn't indicated otherwise. For example, an en route flight will show the arrival time in italics.
I believe I witnessed a traffic conflict, altitude deviation, or some other anomaly. Should I report it?
Please don't. Rather, read the terms of use and understand that this data is for casual observation only and not for any operational purpose. FlightAware technology was not designed with the intent to observe safety or regulation anomalies, so please do not try to use it for that purpose.
Can I use FlightAware for operational functions or in flight for navigation or traffic advisories?
Absolutely not. FlightAware is not designed for that, and that violates FlightAware's terms of use.
What is the suffix that's appended to an aircraft type, such as C172/G or B738/Q?
The suffix indicates the on-board equipment. For an explanation of each suffix, you can either hover over the code for a tool tip explanation, or view them all on FlightAware's Aircraft Equipment Suffixes list.
How does FlightAware handle time zones?
By default, FlightAware displays times in the airport's local time zone. For example, if a flight is flying from Houston to Los Angeles with a 4 o'clock departure and arriving in LA 3 hours later, it will show a 4:00 CT departure and 5:00 PT arrival. Registered users can select various time zone and time display preferences including the ability to show all times in your local time zone.
What do "(+1)" and "(-1)" mean next to a flight's arrival time?
It means that the flight arrived on either the day after or the day before departure, respectively. The date listed for a flight is the departure date and the "+1" literally means plus one day and "-1" means minus one day.
When do flights show up as "Scheduled" in the activity log?
We display a flight as "scheduled" as soon as receiving the flight plan. This is generally 30 minutes to 24 hours before a flight. For airline flights, it is closer to 24 hours and for most general aviation flights, closer to two hours. Flight plans that are never activated (no departure) or flight plans that are canceled/retracted prior to departure are not displayed.
What does "Delayed" mean on an airport page and why is a delayed flight being displayed above an airborne flight?
To facilitate airport and airport service operators, FlightAware lists scheduled departures on the "En Route/Scheduled" table when space allows. If there are insufficient en route flights to fill the table, the rest of the table is populated with relevant scheduled flights, sorted by estimated arrival time. In the event that a scheduled (not current en route) arrival is delayed, but could still conceivably arrive before an en route flight (or if no subsequent en route flight exists), FlightAware will display the entry for that flight with the word, "Delayed" instead of an estimated departure and arrival time.
For example, if KVNY (Van Nuys, CA) has two upcoming arrivals and one is from KTEB (Teterboro, NJ), which is en route but two hours from arrival, yet one is from Santa Monica, CA and is delayed (not airborne yet), the Santa Monica flight will be listed above the Teterboro flight, but with the Delayed notation.
What do acronyms like ILS, RVSM, TDZE, and FL mean? Does FlightAware have a list of aviation terminology used on the web site?
We recommend that you take a look at the FAA's glossary of aviation acronyms and abbreviations.
Maps
What, exactly, is represented by the flight route line on a FlightAware map?
The solid line displayed on a FlightAware map is a connected series of points between every position report received for that aircraft. Generally, we receive a position every 15-60 seconds.The dashed line is the planned route of flight per air traffic control. Often times, a flight will deviate from the planned route due to weather, shortcuts, traffic, or other operational factors.
Why does FlightAware not show a position for a flight that recently departed?
When a flight first lifts off, it takes FlightAware a minute or two to acquire the position and orientation. Simply wait a couple minutes and the map should start displaying the position.
I see a aircraft identification on an area/airport map that I can't track manually or the data says the plane is not airborne. Why is that?
The area and airport maps often display VFR aircraft that we receiving position updates for, but do not receiving flight plan or departure/arrival information. A good indication of this occurring is if the data block for that flight on the map does not show an aircraft type.
What do the numbers mean below a flight? For example, what does, "340 446" mean?
The two numbers below a flight are the altitude (in hundreds of feet1) and the ground speed (in knots), respectively. An up or down arrow next to the altitude indicates that the flight is climbing or descending, respectively. For example, "333^ 446" means the flight is climbing through approximately 33,300ft at 446kts. The data is displayed in this format because it is similar to ATC (air traffic control) displays and familiar to many people.
What do the different controls on the maps do? How do I zoom and pan?
To zoom and pan, you can either:
Use the controls in the upper left of the map.
Click and drag the map to pan/scroll.
Double-click on the map to zoom in.
To adjust map overlays (e.g., turn weather on/off, view waypoints, etc), click the + sign in the upper right corner. Or, to view a larger version of that map, click the pop-out icon in the lower right corner of the map.
Why do some flights in a different color only sometimes appear on an airport map?
The airport maps focus on ensuring that you can see flights to/from the airport that you're looking at. When space is available, nearby aircraft with track lines will be included. As you zoom and pan to a more a congested area, the track lines for nearby aircraft may be removed. At a certain point, nearby aircraft will not be displayed entirely.
I want to see a 3D map. Can I export the flight track to view it in Google Earth?
FlightAware supports 3D Google Earth flight tracking for all arrived/landed flights. On the "Status" row in the tracking information, click on the Track flight in Google Earth button and FlightAware will send you a Google Earth KML file to view the flight.
When viewing a flight tracking map, why is there sometimes a circle around the airplane or a notice that says estimated position?
When considering the flight's location, the data downlink capabilities of the aircraft, and available data sources, FlightAware will sometimes only have an estimate of a flight's position.Depending on the circumstances, the accuracy of the position may be within a few miles, or other times it may be within several hundred miles. In order to inform you about the position accuracy, FlightAware will use various airplane icons, radius circles and white lines (as opposed to a solid line) to indicate the degree of confidence in the aircraft's position. The wider the radius circle and the fewer solid lines, the less exact the position is. For example, a solid track line and a solid airplane are a precise position whereas a hollow airplane with a large dashed circle and no track is the least precise position.
What do the color-coded airport marker dots indicate?
The color dots represent the flight conditions at a particular airport from the METAR (aviation weather report) when such data is available:
In the simplest terms, two-factor authentication means that logging into your account will require an additional security code alongside your password. This security code can only be used once and is sent to your phone via a text-message (SMS). As a result, this means that nobody will be able to access your account without having access to both your password and your phone.
How do I get started?
1. Enable two-factor authentication through the Account Management page and click Save
2. Next time you login to your account, you will be asked to enter the mobile phone number that you would like to use to receive security codes.
3. Finally, you will be asked to enter the security code that was just sent to your phone — after which, you will be logged into FlightAware.
Why do you need it?
Two-factor authentication is rapidly becoming an industry standard for protecting user identities online. With two-factor authentication enabled, your account is safe even if someone discovers your password — this dramatically increases the security of FlightAware accounts. Chances are you may have already setup something similar for your email or online banking accounts.
Miscellaneous
I have an unusual analysis, reporting, or corporate project and would like FlightAware's technical expertise and data. Is this possible?
