About 6 months ago, I downloaded the Flighty app, which is a flight tracking tool where you can enter your upcoming flights (or your friends and family’s upcoming flights). The app will also scrape your phone calendar and email for flights. I signed up for the Pro version for one year for $49.

From the app, you can track your aircraft tail number (when it gets assigned) and your incoming aircraft’s schedule to see if it’s running on time. The app will also remind you to check in, and update you on gate assignments and any delays. It will show your arrival weather forecast as well.

There’s a free version with less features, more of just a way to track your ongoing flight and arrival time which also does not provide push notifications about delays and changes. I don’t think I’ll keep using the Pro version after my one year subscription expires. The main reason is that there are a couple of other free apps that provide the most relevant information (for me at least): FlightRadar24 and FlightAware.

FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft assigned to my flight number and then I with one click I can see that plane’s schedule to verify it will arrive in my departure city on time. FlightAware shows my flight route and any delays plus gate assignments.

In other words, Flighty basically scrapes these other apps (or the airline/FAA databases behind them) and puts everything in a more user-friendly “one screen shows it all” package. I think for the average frequent flier who is less of a tech user and less of an av-geek, Flighty Pro might be worth it so that they can be alerted to delays, cancellations and changes. I was already using these other apps before Flighty Pro and I think I can just go back to them and save $49 per year.

When I first started using the app, I received a request for feedback, so I sent the following requests:

– Have airport names clickable to open into searchable maps

– Have previous flights of your aircraft clickable to open their flight path etc. (like FlightAware)

– Click on weather to show a longer weather forecast

So far none of these features have been added. This leads me to believe that Flighty Pro is doing quite well and is focusing on what they already provide. I have noticed a few times where Flighty Pro differed from FlightAware on flight times and FlightAware was more accurate. Sometimes Flighty Pro is a bit slow to update flight times if there is a delay when you leave the gate and are taxiing to the runway.

I think Flighty Pro is definitely worth a try if you would benefit from a single app to track your flights and your family’s flights. For me, I just don’t see an ongoing benefit to using the Pro version.

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