Whether you're flying yourself, picking someone up from the airport, or simply want to know if a flight is on time, a flight tracker makes it easy to monitor flights in real time. By entering a flight number, route or airport, you can check departure and arrival times, view live aircraft locations, and receive updates on delays or cancellations.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, tracking its status can also help you understand whether you may be entitled to compensation under UK or EU passenger rights.
In this guide, we'll explain how flight trackers work, how to read a flight number, where to track flights live, and what to do if your journey is disrupted.
What Is a Flight Tracker?
A flight tracker is an online tool that displays the real-time status and location of an aircraft. Most flight trackers combine information from airlines, airports, air traffic control systems, and aircraft transmissions to provide live updates throughout a flight.
Depending on the service you use, you can typically see:
Live aircraft location on a map
Scheduled and estimated departure times
Scheduled and estimated arrival times
Flight delays and cancellations
Departure and arrival airports
Flight route
Aircraft type and registration
Terminal and gate information (where available)
Whether you're travelling for business or leisure, checking your flight before leaving for the airport can help you avoid unnecessary waiting and stay informed about any last-minute schedule changes.
How to Track a Flight Live
Tracking a flight is straightforward and usually only takes a few seconds.
Track a flight using a flight number
The easiest method is to search by flight number.
For example:
BA117
EZY8234
FR2478
Simply enter the flight number into your chosen flight tracker to see the latest flight information, including departure time, current location (if airborne), estimated arrival time and any reported delays.
Understanding your flight number
A flight number is made up of the airline's two-letter IATA code (or three-letter ICAO code) followed by a number — for example, BA117 is British Airways flight 117. This is the most reliable way to search flight status, since it's tied to one specific flight on one specific day, rather than a whole route.
A couple of things worth knowing:
The same flight number is usually reused daily on a scheduled route, so always double-check the travel date matches.
Codeshare flights: where two airlines sell seats on the same physical aircraft, can carry two different flight numbers for the same flight. If your number doesn't return a result, try searching under the operating airline's own flight number instead (you'll usually find this on your booking confirmation as "operated by...").
On journeys with a stopover, each leg may use a different flight number and even a different aircraft, so track each leg separately.
Track a flight by route
If you don't know the flight number, many flight trackers will also allow you to search for your flight status by:
Departure airport
Arrival airport
Airline
Date of travel
This is particularly useful if you're meeting friends or family at the airport.
Track flights from an airport
Most flight tracking services also display live departure and arrival boards for airports around the world, making it easy to monitor all scheduled flights from a particular location.
Alternatively, you can also visit the airport's website, where live departures and arrivals are displayed.
A note on live-tracking accuracy
Most flight trackers rely on ADS-B ground receivers, which give excellent coverage over land and busy flight corridors, but there are a few limits worth knowing:
Ocean crossings can show gaps or lag. Coverage over the middle of the Atlantic or Pacific depends on satellite data rather than ground receivers, and free tiers on some trackers don't include it, so the aircraft icon may appear to "jump."
"En route" doesn't guarantee "on time." A flight can be tracking normally in the air and still land late if it departed behind schedule.
Some military and private flights are blocked from public trackers for security or privacy reasons, so they may not appear at all.
What Information Can a Flight Tracker Show?
A modern flight tracker provides much more than a simple departure time.
You may be able to view:
Current aircraft position
Flight altitude
Speed
Estimated arrival time (especially helpful if the flight gets delayed)
Flight path
Delays
Diversions
Aircraft model
Airline operating the flight
Previous flight history
Some services also offer notifications, allowing you to receive alerts whenever a flight departs, lands, or experiences a delay.
How Do Flight Trackers Work?
Most commercial aircraft continuously transmit information about their position using onboard equipment.
Flight tracking services combine several data sources, including:
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast)
Ground-based radar
Satellite data
Airport operational information
Airline scheduling systems
Air traffic control data
By combining these sources, flight trackers can estimate an aircraft's position with impressive accuracy.
Occasionally, different tracking websites may display slightly different arrival times because they rely on different data providers or update their information at different intervals.
Different Flight Statuses Explained
When checking a flight, you'll usually encounter one of the following statuses:
Scheduled – The flight is expected to operate on time.
Boarding – Passengers are currently boarding the aircraft.
Departed – The aircraft has taken off.
Delayed – The flight is expected to depart later than scheduled.
Diverted – The aircraft has landed at an alternative airport.
Cancelled – The flight will not operate.
Landed – The aircraft has arrived at its destination.
Understanding these terms helps you interpret live flight updates more easily.
Best Flight Tracker Websites
There are many websites and apps available that allow you to track a flight and provide live flight information.
Flightradar24
One of the world's most popular flight tracking platforms, Flightradar24 offers interactive maps, aircraft details, historical flight data and optional flight alerts.
Best for:
Live aircraft maps
Aviation enthusiasts
Detailed aircraft information
FlightAware
FlightAware combines airline schedules with operational flight data and provides detailed delay information, airport activity and flight history.
Best for:
Flight history
Live aircraft maps
Delay information
Airport operations
Plane Finder
Plane Finder offers live aircraft tracking with an intuitive map interface and information about aircraft registrations and routes.
Best for:
Easy-to-use interface with live aircraft maps
Aircraft information
Mobile tracking
It's always worth comparing information with the airline's own website, as airlines usually publish official operational updates first.
Flightright
Our flight & claim tracker allows you not only to track flights and their status, but it also offers real-time information on whether you can make a claim. Simply enter the flight number and the departure and arrival airports.
Best for:
Easy-to-use interface
Real-time flight information on delays and cancellations
Instant check to see if a compensation claim can be filed
If Your Flight Is Not on Time
A flight tracker can tell you if your flight is delayed, cancelled or diverted, but knowing what to do next is just as important. Depending on the nature of the disruption, you may be entitled to assistance from your airline and, in some cases, compensation under EU261 passenger rights regulations.
Here's what you should do if your flight doesn't go according to plan.
What To Do if My Flight Is Cancelled or Delayed
Whether your flight is cancelled before departure or delayed at the airport, following these steps can help minimise stress and protect your rights:
Check the latest flight status. Use a reliable flight tracker - such as Flightrights claim calculator - and confirm the information on your airline's website or app.
Keep all travel documents. Save your boarding pass, booking confirmation and any emails or text messages from the airline.
Ask the airline for information. If your flight is disrupted, request an explanation of the reason for the delay or cancellation.
Know your passenger rights. Depending on the circumstances, the airline may be required to provide meals, refreshments, accommodation or alternative transport.
Keep receipts for essential expenses. If you're forced to pay for food, transport or accommodation because the airline did not provide assistance, retain your receipts for potential reimbursement.
Check your eligibility for compensation. If the disruption was within the airline's control, you may be entitled to compensation of up to £520. The actual sum depends on the flight distance and not the flight price. Short-haul flights of up to 1500 km make you eligible to claim £220; flights between 1500 - 3000 km are claimable with £350; and long-haul flights of over 3500 km can be claimed with £520. If you choose to file a claim with Flightright and we win your case, we will retain a success fee of 20-30 % (plus VAT [plus 14% solicitor’s surcharge, if applicable]).
Delayed Flight
Flight delays are one of the most common travel disruptions. While shorter delays can be frustrating, longer delays may trigger additional passenger rights.
If your flight is delayed:
Monitor the latest departure time using a flight tracker and your airline's updates.
Stay at the airport unless your airline advises otherwise.
Ask the airline what assistance is available if the delay becomes prolonged.
Keep receipts for any necessary expenses if the airline does not provide the required care.
If your flight arrives at its final destination more than three hours late, and the delay was caused by circumstances within the airline's control, you may be entitled to compensation of up to £520 per person.
After your journey, you can use Flightright's free compensation checker to find out whether you're eligible to make a claim.
Cancelled Flight
A cancelled flight can significantly disrupt your travel plans, but airlines have obligations towards affected passengers.
If your flight is cancelled, you are generally entitled to choose between:
A replacement flight to your destination as soon as possible.
A later flight on a date that suits you, subject to availability.
A full refund of your unused ticket.
Depending on when you were informed of the cancellation and the reason behind it, you may also be eligible for compensation under UK261 of up to £520 per person.
Even if compensation is not payable because of extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather or airport closures, the airline may still have a duty to provide care and assistance, including meals, refreshments and, where necessary, hotel accommodation.
