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Track a Flight on Your iPhone

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Apr 12, 2001
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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.

checking-flight-iphone.jpeg

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 can press and hold the underlined number to get a real-time view of the flight's progress plotted on a map.

iphone-track-flight.jpg

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.

track-flight-iphone.jpg

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

track-flight-on-mac2.jpg

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.

track-flight-on-mac1.jpg

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: Track a Flight on Your iPhone
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/track-a-flight-on-your-iphone/
I love this feature. I enjoy the built in flight tracking functionality for tracking friends when they send me a flight number - but nothing will ever come close to the power inside of the Flighty app, which is what I use for my own travels.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marzzz and P K
Indeed remember when Siri had greater capabilities early in its "life" as an assistant?
You could ask Siri "what planes are overhead" and it brought up flight information about the aircraft that you might be looking at and perhaps another out of sight. That disappeared (homeland security, per chance)? Back in those old days Siri also had a sense of humor that Apple bled out of the assistant. For example, you could also ask "Hey Siri, beam me up" and it would have a cheeky response from that Star Trek command. It was also aware of 2001 A Space Oddysey. Just try opening those pod bay doors.

While new technology is welcome, it is now fairly generic. Of course, you can also get and AI system to give you some inaccurate information, just for fun!
 
Thank you for sharing.
Getting tired of the 3rd party apps that are with subscription model constantly showing ads, since I rarely need to track flights.
 
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