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4 Flight Tracking Apps

Traveling during the holiday season is not generally a very relaxing experience thanks to crowds and flight delays—but there are ways to make the ordeal a lot less stressful thanks to handy little things called flight tracker apps. These pieces of software—easily downloadable on a smartphone or tablet—not only track your flight and alert you to delays, they’ll often go above and beyond, allowing you to pinpoint your exact location at 40,000 feet, and even giving you a rundown of the best places to eat during your six-hour layover. With scores of flight tracker apps to choose from, here are 5 of the best free apps.

FlightAware Flight Tracker [Click Here]: In addition to tracking the real-time flight status and location of any commercial flight worldwide, FlightAware can give you the whereabouts of those on a charter or private plane. With a GPS system that lets you determine your own whereabouts, see which aircraft are in your nearby vicinity (and where they’re headed), and zoom and pan around a map of the world, this free app is an aviation geek’s fantasy.

GateGuru [Click Here]: As part of the TripAdvisor family of travel products, GateGuru aims to take the guesswork out of your travels and customize your door-to-door adventure. It offers all the basic flight tracking capabilities, but where GateGuru really exceeds is in customizing your travel day plans. Once the details are set, input your itinerary and GateGuru promises to “connect the dots,” spitting out detailed info on where to check in, current airport weather conditions, estimated security wait times, airport amenities (with more than 35,000 reviews from TripAdvisor users), and last-minute deals on car rental rates.

AirportZoom [Click Here]: You’ll need an iPad if you want to take advantage of the gorgeous graphics that AirportZoom has to offer, providing users with a ton of useful information, including gate changes and flight delays; detailed maps for more than 120 airport terminals; reviews of on-site restaurants, shopping, and services; current weather reports (plus a seven-day forecast) and even barometer and dew point info (which is great for those lucky few who know what to do with it).

iFly Airport Guide [Click Here]: No two airports are created equal, and neither are their amenities. This free flight tracking app is a must for frequent travelers, offering you essential information on more than 700 airports, including a list of which restaurants are closest to your gate (complete with user reviews), whether or not there’s WiFi, parking rates and locations, on-site banks and ATMs, and what your transportation options are if this is your final destination.

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