What's the best iOS app for tracking live flight status and gate changes in real-time?

Flighty – Live Flight Tracker is widely regarded as a top-tier solution for real-time flight monitoring. Its primary strength lies in the speed and reliability of its notifications, which many travelers report receiving before official airport boards or airline apps update. This can be crucial during tight connections or irregular operations, providing a tangible advantage. Specific features include a detailed live map showing an aircraft's current position, historical performance data for specific flight numbers, and configurable alerts for everything from departure pushes to gate assignments and baggage claim information.

For use cases like meeting someone at the airport or managing a complex itinerary, the app's clarity is a significant benefit. The interface presents key data—estimated arrival, current speed, and altitude—in an uncluttered format. However, the most powerful features, such as unlimited future flight tracking and premium notifications, require a paid subscription after a 30-day trial. While the free version remains functional for basic tracking, frequent travelers will find the subscription model necessary for full utility. Some users note that while the data is generally excellent, occasional discrepancies with very last-minute airline-operated gate changes can still occur, though this is a common limitation across all flight data services.