Flighty vs Apple Wallet's Live Activities: Which flight tracker is better?
Comparing Flighty to Apple's Live Activities
Apple’s new Live Activities for Wallet aims to make flight tracking easier — but how does it compare to a dedicated flight tracking app like Flighty? Here’s a complete breakdown to help you understand what each tool offers and when to rely on them.
Flighty vs. Apple Wallet Live Activities
Live Activities is a new feature in iOS 26 that gives travelers real-time flight updates through Apple Wallet — as long as certain conditions are met. It relies on a behind-the-scenes partnership between Apple and your airline to function.
At launch, Apple announced partnerships with just 10 U.S. airlines. So, only if your airline supports Apple's Live Activities, you’ve checked in, and added your boarding pass to Apple Wallet, you’ll get Apple's basic flight alerts (like gate changes or delays) pushed to your Lock Screen.
But here’s the catch:
If your airline already offers Live Activity from its app, Apple will not show theirs.
Apple's Live Activities is reliant on third-party data sources that may not reflect real-world gate or boarding data.
Airlines still control what updates your boarding pass receives, and most don’t send real-time updates.
Flighty, on the other hand, has spent years building the most accurate flight-tracking app worldwide, and works automatically for every airline right now. It processes millions of flights in real time and alerts you directly from official aviation sources
Why choose Flighty?
Flighty pioneered Live Activities in travel. Even more, Live Activities is just one part of a much richer set of flight-tracking features in it's an award-winning, all-in-one app trusted by pilots, crew, and frequent flyers.
With Flighty, you get:
The world’s fastest delay alerts, beating airline apps and Apple, alike.
Inbound plane tracking to see if your aircraft is on time.
Airport, weather, and ATC alerts to understand the full picture.
Delay Predictions that give you a heads up often hours before airline announcements.
Flighty Friends to share and follow trips with others.
Flighty Passport to track your lifetime of flying — flights, miles, delays, and more
While Apple Wallet may offer flight info for select airlines, Flighty delivers a global, unified experience for every traveler, every time — no matter where or with whom you fly.
Flighty pioneered Live Activities in travel. Even more, Live Activities is just one part of a much richer set of flight-tracking features in it's an award-winning, all-in-one app trusted by pilots, crew, and frequent flyers.
With Flighty, you get:
The world’s fastest delay alerts, beating airline apps and Apple, alike.
Inbound plane tracking to see if your aircraft is on time.
Airport Intelligence to know how airport operations may affect your flight
Airport, weather, and ATC alerts to understand the full picture.
Delay Predictions that give you a heads up often hours before airline announcements.
Flighty Friends to share and follow trips with others.
Flighty Passport to track your lifetime of flying — flights, miles, delays, and more
While Apple Wallet may offer flight info for select airlines, Flighty delivers a global, unified experience for every traveler, every time — no matter where or with whom you fly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I still need Flighty if I use Apple Wallet’s Live Activities?
A: Yes — Apple’s Live Activities only work with a few airlines, and may show outdated or incorrect data. Flighty works for every airline, and gives you richer, faster, more accurate information.
Q: Where does Apple get its flight data?
A: Apple uses “Apple Flight Service,” which is powered by a third-day data. But unlike Flighty, Apple’s data can be overridden by airlines — and will likely lag.
Q: Will Flighty support Live Activities too?
A: Yes — Flighty was one of the first flight tracker apps to ever support Live Activities on iOS.
Final Verdict: Which flight tool should you trust when you travel?
Choose Flighty if you want real-time alerts, predictive insights, and trusted accuracy across all airlines.
Use Apple Wallet if you’re flying with one of Apple's partner airline and want basic alerts. But, maybe don't rely on it alone.
Beautifully designed and powerful to use, Flighty is a first-class flight tracker for those on the move. The app offers detailed flight maps, live tracking, and delay forecasting — but the real magic is the perfectly timed notifications that keep you up to date and stress-free.
Beautifully designed and powerful to use, Flighty is a first-class flight tracker for those on the move. The app offers detailed flight maps, live tracking, and delay forecasting — but the real magic is the perfectly timed notifications that keep you up to date and stress-free.
Features
Flighty
Apple Wallet
Real-time flight tracking
Real-time flight tracking
Inbound aircraft tracking
Inbound aircraft tracking
Delay predictions
Delay predictions
FAA mandated delays
FAA mandated delays
Real flight plan
Real flight plan
Ground radar
Ground radar
Weather radar
Weather radar
Taxi times
Taxi times
Aircraft age
Aircraft age
Timezone change info
Timezone change info
Connection assistant
Connection assistant
Flight history and stats
Flight history and stats
Add flights 365 days in advance
Add flights 365 days in advance
Offline mode
Offline mode
Airport Intelligence
Airport Intelligence
Alerts & Notifications
Where's my plane
Where's my plane
Schedule changes
Schedule changes
Delays
Delays
Cancellations
Cancellations
Gate changes
Gate changes
Check-in reminders
Check-in reminders
Decoded aviation alerts
Decoded aviation alerts
Integrations
Live activities
Live activities
Home screen widgets
Home screen widgets
Lock screen widgets
Lock screen widgets
Watch app
Watch app
Watch live activities
Watch live activities
Watch complications
Watch complications
CarPlay live activities
CarPlay live activities
Android app
Android app
Social
Live sharing
Live sharing
Follow friend's flights
Follow friend's flights
Social sharing features
Social sharing features
Compare airport visits
Compare airport visits
Automations
Email import
Email import
2-way calendar sync
2-way calendar sync
TripIt integration
TripIt integration
Plans
Free plan available
Free plan available
No credit card free trial
No credit card free trial
Privacy-focused
Privacy-focused
From first-time flyers to million-milers, people love Flighty.
From first-time flyers to million-milers, people love Flighty.
David Pogue
@Pogue
Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Flighty. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!
Joel
Jan 31, 2023
Saved the day!
To: Flighty Crew
Two weeks ago, I had a one-day business trip planned—JFK to Buffalo for a quick meeting. At 7:30 am, Flighty alerted me to a delay two legs before my flight. JetBlue hadn’t posted anything, but I could see a delay was coming. I quickly booked a Delta flight out of LGA, arranged for my associates to meet me there, and made it to my meeting on time. If not for Flighty’s early alert, I’d have missed it. Thanks for a great experience!
Joel
Best Flight Tracking App
Date
•
Bdawgno1
I have used a lot of other flight tracking apps. Flighty takes all of them combined and make them look amateurish. Been using the app for several years. Yearly fee is less than a dinner out. And so worth paying!! It has saved me on both domestic and international flights - updates faster than airport boards on status. I know exactly where my arrival plane is and can judge how fast I need to in line to board my flight. Simply the best!!!!
Great travel app!
Sep 7, 2024
•
by BigPlayaz
If you fly at all, Flighty is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.
Brian Kelly
8h
The Best By Far
Mar 17, 2022
•
@LPAppsSuck
The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Flighty alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.
Parker Ortolani
@ParkerOrtolani
@Flighty is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.
Favorite app on my phone
Aug 20, 2024
•
a.czarnik
It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Flighty.
Paul Robichaux
@paulrobichaux
@Flighty just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Flighty team.
Charlie
Aug 2, 2022
How do you do it?
To: Flighty Crew
Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Flighty alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!
Charlie
Essential Travel App
Jan 4, 2023
•
Doc Ricardo
I’m a 2+ million mile flyer, and this app is essential for navigating the complexities of travel. Airport monitors are slow to update, but Flighty keeps you ahead. Forewarned is forearmed—this app equips you with the info you need to handle inevitable travel issues. Absolutely worth the annual fee.
Hendrik Haandrikman
@HHaandr
Signed up for @Flighty in an ongoing effort to get them on @RevenueCat, and the very first flight I used it for was cancelled. They let me know 30m (!) before the airline did, which meant that I hadn't left home yet. I'd have been on a train and would've wasted hours 🤯
Saved me HOURS of time! 6 Stars!
21 Sep, 2021
•
S0uthpaw96
This app is one of the best on the App Store and worth every penny. The user interface is fast, and their notifications beat every airline. Yesterday, I had a 2+ hour layover in ATL on my way to MCI. There was an earlier flight, but Delta wouldn’t let me book it due to a tight connection time. I used Flighty to monitor it anyway. Mid-flight, at 30,000 ft., Flighty notified me the earlier flight was delayed by 15 minutes, while my flight was landing 5 minutes early. I had a chance! I rushed off, snagged a standby seat, and made it just in time. Got to see my family earlier because of this app. Thanks, Flighty devs!
+3 million users enjoy Flighty
View more
David Pogue
@Pogue
Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Flighty. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!
Great travel app!
Sep 7, 2024
•
by BigPlayaz
If you fly at all, Flighty is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.
Brian Kelly
8h
The Best By Far
Mar 17, 2022
•
@LPAppsSuck
The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Flighty alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.
Parker Ortolani
@ParkerOrtolani
@Flighty is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.
Favorite app on my phone
Aug 20, 2024
•
a.czarnik
It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Flighty.
Paul Robichaux
@paulrobichaux
@Flighty just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Flighty team.
Charlie
Aug 2, 2022
How do you do it?
To: Flighty Crew
Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Flighty alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!
Charlie
Essential Travel App
Jan 4, 2023
•
Doc Ricardo
I’m a 2+ million mile flyer, and this app is essential for navigating the complexities of travel. Airport monitors are slow to update, but Flighty keeps you ahead. Forewarned is forearmed—this app equips you with the info you need to handle inevitable travel issues. Absolutely worth the annual fee.
Hendrik Haandrikman
@HHaandr
Signed up for @Flighty in an ongoing effort to get them on @RevenueCat, and the very first flight I used it for was cancelled. They let me know 30m (!) before the airline did, which meant that I hadn't left home yet. I'd have been on a train and would've wasted hours 🤯
Saved me HOURS of time! 6 Stars!
21 Sep, 2021
•
S0uthpaw96
This app is one of the best on the App Store and worth every penny. The user interface is fast, and their notifications beat every airline. Yesterday, I had a 2+ hour layover in ATL on my way to MCI. There was an earlier flight, but Delta wouldn’t let me book it due to a tight connection time. I used Flighty to monitor it anyway. Mid-flight, at 30,000 ft., Flighty notified me the earlier flight was delayed by 15 minutes, while my flight was landing 5 minutes early. I had a chance! I rushed off, snagged a standby seat, and made it just in time. Got to see my family earlier because of this app. Thanks, Flighty devs!
+4 million
View more
David Pogue
@Pogue
Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Flighty. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!
Joel
Jan 31, 2023
Saved the day!
To: Flighty Crew
Two weeks ago, I had a one-day business trip planned—JFK to Buffalo for a quick meeting. At 7:30 am, Flighty alerted me to a delay two legs before my flight. JetBlue hadn’t posted anything, but I could see a delay was coming. I quickly booked a Delta flight out of LGA, arranged for my associates to meet me there, and made it to my meeting on time. If not for Flighty’s early alert, I’d have missed it. Thanks for a great experience!
Joel
Best Flight Tracking App
Date
•
Bdawgno1
I have used a lot of other flight tracking apps. Flighty takes all of them combined and make them look amateurish. Been using the app for several years. Yearly fee is less than a dinner out. And so worth paying!! It has saved me on both domestic and international flights - updates faster than airport boards on status. I know exactly where my arrival plane is and can judge how fast I need to in line to board my flight. Simply the best!!!!
Great travel app!
Sep 7, 2024
•
by BigPlayaz
If you fly at all, Flighty is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.
Brian Kelly
8h
The Best By Far
Mar 17, 2022
•
@LPAppsSuck
The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Flighty alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.
Parker Ortolani
@ParkerOrtolani
@Flighty is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.
Favorite app on my phone
Aug 20, 2024
•
a.czarnik
It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Flighty.
Paul Robichaux
@paulrobichaux
@Flighty just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Flighty team.
Charlie
Aug 2, 2022
How do you do it?
To: Flighty Crew
Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Flighty alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!
Charlie
+3 million users enjoy Flighty
View more
Switch to a better way to fly
Switch to a better way to fly
Download Flighty for free on the App Store and switch to a better way to fly.
Download Flighty for free on the App Store and switch to a better way to fly.
Date
Fri, 10 Aug
Gate
C2
Flight
FLI101
Seat
1A
Departure
Apple Wallet
Arrival
Flighty
AW
FLY
Date
Fri, 10 Aug
Gate
C2
Flight
FLI101
Seat
1A
Departure
Apple Wallet
Arrival
Flighty
AW
FLY
Made with love in Austin,
Barcelona
and Oslo.
Made with love in Austin, Barcelona and Oslo.