What it does
FlightAware’s public flight tracker supports searches by airline and flight number as well as departure and arrival airports. It also provides airport activity, delay and cancellation links, with separate paid aviation products.
If a family member sends only their route, use the departure-and-arrival search rather than guessing a flight number. When you have the airline and flight number, those are the more direct starting inputs. Airport browsing is useful for examining activity at the arrival location.
The tracker links to worldwide airport delays and live cancellations, which can provide context around an individual journey. Free registration is advertised for customised features and alerts, while Premium subscriptions are a separate offering. FlightAware also sells aviation data products, but you do not need to treat those business tools as part of a passenger’s flight lookup. Keep the flight identity and travel date clear when comparing tracker information with the airline’s own messages.
Strengths
- Offers route search when the flight number is unknown
- Links flight lookup with airport delays and cancellations
Best for
- Following an arrival or checking a planned flight
Sources
- Live Flight Tracker - FlightAware (Oct 26, 2026)