Where can I track a flight?

Most commercial aircraft continuously broadcast their position, altitude, speed and heading through a system called ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast). Websites and apps such as Flightradar24 or FlightAware pick up that signal through a network of ground receivers, many of them installed by hobbyists, and combine it with data from the airlines themselves and air navigation providers to show the flight on a map in near real time, with only a few seconds' delay.

Just enter the flight number (for example, IB6800) or the aircraft's registration to see its planned route, current position, altitude, ground speed, aircraft type and even, in paid versions, historical data on that same aircraft's previous flights; data on flights subject to military restrictions or private aviation may appear blocked or hidden for privacy reasons.

If what you're after is seeing a plane in person, airports usually have observation or "spotting" areas near the runway thresholds, where takeoffs and landings can be seen up close; some large airports, such as Frankfurt or Munich, even provide official terraces or viewing platforms for the public. Some airports and tourist flight routes also have public webcams streamed live online, a common option for those who can't visit in person.