There is an amazing shortcut built into iPhone and iPad that allows you to track flights. The shortcut shows you the status of a flight including if it is on time, delayed, or cancelled. It will also show you the destination and where the flight originates. Baggage claim information is displayed when available. This shortcut is very convenient. So, let me show you exactly how to track a flight using this iOS shortcut.
How to Track Flights on iPhone and iPad
First, you will need to know the airline name and the flight number. The example I will use is an Alaska Airlines Flight 2804. There are four easy ways to use this built-in Flight Tracker feature on your iPhone or iPad.
Spotlight Search: This is typically the easiest and quickest way to check the status of a particular flight. To activate Spotlight Search, simply drag down from any home screen on your device (Home Screen – when you see all the app icons on your screen). Once search is enabled, you can simply type in the airline name and the flight number. This will then give you the arriving and departing flight that share the same flight number. So, for our example, I would type in Alaska Airlines Flight 2804 or I can also just enter the airline abbreviation and flight number like this: AS2804. Once you have entered the flight number and airline, tap on the flight to pull up all the details.
Notes App: The next place you can enter a flight number is into a note in the Notes App. Just create a new note and type in the flight information and airline name. Then tap “Done.” Once you have done this, you will notice that the flight number and airline name will be underlined, meaning that the shortcut has been enabled. To access the flight details, simply force touch the underlined shortcut and all the details will appear.
Calendar App: Another place you can input flight tracking data is in the Notes section of a calendar appointment. Create a new appointment or pull up an existing one. Tap on “Edit” and then scroll all the way to the bottom. You will see the notes section. Then, input the airline name and flight number into the notes section. Tap on “Done”. Now, any time you open this calendar appointment you will notice that the airline name and flight number are now underlined, indicating that the shortcut is enabled.
Text Message: Lastly, if you send or receive a text message or iMessage with flight information, then the same shortcut will automatically be enabled. The airline name and flight number will be underlined letting you know that you can force touch the shortcut to get all the details of that flight.
That’s it, a quick and easy way to track flights on your iPhone and iPad.
