How to Track a Flight on Your iPhone

[MacRumors]

Flight tracker apps are a popular way to keep tabs on planes in the sky, because when you're preparing to fly or when someone you know is on board a flight, you can use them to check that things are still on schedule. But if you have an iPhone, you don't need to download and install a third-party app to track a flight – it's a handy built-in feature of the operating system.

The ability to track flights in iOS is thanks to the data detectors that Apple has integrated into the system for quite a few years now. Data detectors recognize things like times, dates and addresses, and in the right context, turns these into tappable links. Here's how it works.

Track Flights in Messages

If someone sends you a flight number (U2502, say) in Messages, you should be able to tap the underlined number to get a real-time view of the flight's progress plotted on a map.

You also get the option to learn more by tapping Preview Flight, which will give you information like departure and arrival times, delays, and for some airports, baggage claim details. You'll find links to the airline website and Apple Maps at the bottom of the information card.

To increase the chances that iOS detects the flight number, it's best to include the full airline name along with the number (EasyJet U2502, for example).

Track Flights in Spotlight Search

On iPhone and iPad, you can also track flights in Search.

Swipe down from the middle of the Home screen and simply input the flight number into the search field to get departure and arrival information. Tap the information card to get the additional details mentioned above.

Tracking Flights on a Mac

Apple has included the same data detectors into macOS, meaning you can track flights on your Mac, too. Simply invoke Spotlight with the Command-Spacebar key combination and type the flight number into the input field.

Select the flight data in the results, and you'll see the same information card that appears in iOS, complete with the flight's live trajectory shown on a map and other details.

Article Link: How to Track a Flight on Your iPhone

 

[Jxdawg]

Super helpful tool. Glad it’s built in and I don’t have to bother with a third party app.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Don't count on cheesyJet getting you there on time! 😂 They were great for me up until post-2020 when it seems to have went all to pot with delays and ridiculous extra baggage charges.

 

[kiranmk2]

Very useful - I wonder if there is anyway to have this as a live notification on the lock screen too (useful if waiting in the airport and want to stay up to date with delays or gate changes)

 

[martin2345uk]

This doesn't remotely work for me, is it another US only feature? Or is it only on newer iPhones?

 

[MacsRgr8]

That's cool! I did not know that. Thanks!

 

[UltimateSyn]

Had absolutely no clue that this feature existed. Thanks for pointing it out! Really handy.

 

[zinacef]

How does this compare to Flighty?

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

This doesn't remotely work for me, is it another US only feature? Or is it only on newer iPhones?

It's showing a British carrier so definitely not just US.

 

[NoelWalker]

Never knew this before! Very cool feature even though I won't have a chance to utilize it. It might come in handy when you want to have a quick glance at the flight your family has boarded for example.

 

[mszilard]

does this work ouside of usa?

 

[MrPresident]

this doesn’t work. iPhone 12 mini 16.3.

 

[slyronit]

Not working for international flights from Thailand. I tried air Asia.

 

[Blackstick]

I like FlightRadar24 better, for the aviation nerds among us.

 

[Strebor]

That's brilliant. Great tip!
It would be super if Apple added marine traffic too. Finding/tracking ships would be fantastic!

@mszilard yes it does. Works fine here in Europe.

 

[icanhazmac]

Super cool, never knew one could do that, thanks MR!

 

[AlanMarron]

I'm trying it in Mexico and it works with US carriers and AeroMexico, but not Volaris (my preference) or VivaAerobus.

 

[coffeemilktea]

I'm so glad Apple added this feature, now I can see that my flight has been delayed... but, like, in style.

 

[japanime]

this doesn’t work. iPhone 12 mini 16.3.

Works fine on my iPhone 12 mini 16.3.

 

[Dwalls90]

Flighty is also a great paid alternative with amazing features.

 

[madeirabhoy]

This doesn't remotely work for me, is it another US only feature? Or is it only on newer iPhones?

my phone is a 14 pro, but it works on my colleagues 11 and we are in portugal, i just looked up a ryanair flight and an easyjet flight from uk to portugal.

 

[alexandr]

Like many others here I had no idea this existed! I wonder for how long. Now if only there would be a way to display this in the dynamic island...

 

[BreuerEditor]

Very useful - I wonder if there is anyway to have this as a live notification on the lock screen too (useful if waiting in the airport and want to stay up to date with delays or gate changes)

I learned this feature by accident a few years ago when I noticed it being underlined. Very cool indeed but nope to the live notification, but Flighty has this option and it's amazing. Having live details in the Dynamic Island is also a perfect use of the space. Flighty gives you your first flight for free which is helpful if you or someone you need to track to drop/pick up has a flight but you don't want to spend the money on the service. After the first flight, you lose notifications and widgets, but it is WELL worth it to buy if you fly frequently. It also has a really cool 'Passport' style feature where you can sync your iCloud calendars and it'll show all the places you've traveled too with a history of the information.

 

[martin2345uk]

must be some setting somewhere that enables or disables this, as when I type in a flight number (eg BA2202) into Spotlight search, I just get this...

 

[sw1tcher]

I typed ElonJet, G650ER, and N628TS into Spotlight, but nothing came up.