If you use an iPhone and travel a lot or if you’re often picking up loved ones at the airport, then you will love this genius iPhone hack to track flights.
In the past, if I wanted to get information on a flight, I would search the airline and flight number on Google, use the airline’s app or go to the airline’s website and sign up for their flight alerts. FYI: You can also use TripIt. Forward your itinerary or that of the person you’re picking up to Plans@TripIt.com to get up-to-date information.
However, thanks to the new iOS update, all users have to do is input their airline and flight number into a text message. For example, to send updates about American Airlines flight 118 between Los Angeles and New York, simply text the person picking you up with the airline and flight number either using the airlines two-letter abbreviation or writing it our in full. I input this flight a variety of ways AA118, AA 118, American Airlines 118 and they will all work.
Once you see the flight underlined, that means it worked and when you tap on it, you will be asked to see preview flight (see screenshot). Users will have all the information they need like departure, arrival, time left in flight, baggage claim number as well as a good-looking map.
Note: Not all airlines and/or flights work. For example, AA flight 2 between LAX and JFK doesn’t show up for some reason. Also, the two letter code for JetBlue (B6) doesn’t work but typing JetBlue and the flight number does. Some international airlines like British Airways work, too.
So if you want quick flight information and you have an iPhone, then this convenient trick will save you some time.
Cool!
That is a good addition to the iPhone, but I recommend the Flight Aware app or flightaware.com.
That’s really a cool trick as I saw.
Thanks for sharing this.