Top Real Time Flights API alternatives in 2025

Top Real Time Flights API Alternatives in 2025

As the demand for real-time flight data continues to grow, developers are seeking robust APIs to integrate into their applications. In this blog post, we will explore the best alternatives to the Real Time Flights API, highlighting their features, capabilities, pricing, pros and cons, ideal use cases, and how they differ from the Real Time Flights API. Whether you're building a travel application, a flight tracking system, or a booking platform, these APIs can provide the essential data you need.

1. Airline Flights Tracking API for Real-Time Flight Status

The Airline Flights Tracking API offers real-time flight status updates, allowing developers to integrate comprehensive flight tracking functionality into their applications. This API is designed to keep users informed about the current status of flights, including departure times, delays, and other critical information.

Key Features and Capabilities

The Airline Flights Tracking API provides several key features:

• Get Flights: This feature allows you to retrieve all active flights based on the IATA code of any airline. You can receive current position, heading, course, speed, altitude, and more.

For example, when you call the Get Flights feature, you might receive a response like this:

{"success":true,"output":{"count":84,"data":[{"latitude":23.5445,"longitude":-74.8629,"id":"368d8b33","icao_24bit":"E494F1","heading":302,"altitude":40000,"ground_speed":469,"squawk":"","aircraft_code":"A339","registration":"PR-ANX","time":1723231420,"origin_airport_iata":"CNF","destination_airport_iata":"FLL","number":"AD8732","airline_iata":"AD","on_ground":0,"vertical_speed":0,"callsign":"AZU8732","airline_icao":"AZU"}]}}

This response provides detailed information about the flight's current status, including its geographical coordinates, altitude, speed, and more. Developers can use this data to enhance user experience by providing real-time updates on flight statuses.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Comprehensive real-time flight data.
• Easy integration with existing applications.
• Customizable queries based on airline IATA codes.

Cons:

• Limited to airline-specific data.
• May require additional data sources for comprehensive travel planning.

Ideal Use Cases

This API is ideal for travel agencies, flight tracking applications, and airport information systems that require real-time updates on flight statuses.

How It Differs from Real Time Flights API

While both APIs provide real-time flight data, the Airline Flights Tracking API focuses more on flight statuses and less on comprehensive flight data like gate information and cancellations.

2. Flight Tracking API with Call Signs for Real-Time Flight Status

The Flight Tracking API offers developers a powerful solution for accessing real-time flight status information. This API enables users to stay informed about flight departures, arrivals, delays, and cancellations.

Key Features and Capabilities

Key features of the Flight Tracking API include:

• Get Flights: Call the API to receive all flights currently in the air, including IATA codes, current position, speed, heading, departure and arrival airports, and callsign.

For instance, a typical response from the Get Flights feature might look like this:

{"success":true,"output":{"count":1500,"data":[{"id":"306cca05","icao_24bit":"ACE75A","latitude":40.7651,"longitude":-122.9614,"heading":345,"altitude":56900,"ground_speed":4,"squawk":"N/A","aircraft_code":"BALL","registration":"N930TH","time":1686597234,"origin_airport_iata":"N/A","destination_airport_iata":"N/A","number":"N/A","airline_iata":"N/A","on_ground":0,"vertical_speed":0,"callsign":"HBAL628","airline_icao":"N/A"}]}}

This response provides a wealth of information about each flight, allowing developers to create detailed tracking applications.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Real-time updates on flight statuses.
• Detailed flight information including call signs.
• Flexible query parameters for targeted data retrieval.

Cons:

• Data may vary based on the source of flight information.
• Requires careful handling of API responses for accurate data presentation.

Ideal Use Cases

This API is perfect for travel applications, airport information systems, and flight comparison websites that need real-time flight tracking capabilities.

How It Differs from Real Time Flights API

The Flight Tracking API focuses on real-time flight statuses and call signs, while the Real Time Flights API provides a broader range of flight data, including gate information and cancellations.

3. Flight Schedules API

The Flight Schedules API is designed to provide comprehensive flight schedule data, enabling developers to integrate flight scheduling information into their applications seamlessly.

Key Features and Capabilities

Key features of the Flight Schedules API include:

• Get Schedules: This feature allows you to track flights and retrieve flight status information in real-time. You can look up real-time information about one or multiple flights using optional parameters to filter your results.

An example response from the Get Schedules feature might look like this:

{"success":true,"type":"arrival","data":[{"airline_iata":"AA","airline_icao":"AAL","flight_iata":"AA2996","flight_icao":"AAL2996","flight_number":"2996","dep_iata":"MEX","dep_icao":"MMMX","dep_terminal":"1","dep_gate":"36","dep_time":"2024-12-14 00:24","dep_time_utc":"2024-12-14 06:24","dep_estimated":"2024-12-14 00:12","dep_estimated_utc":"2024-12-14 06:12","dep_actual":"2024-12-14 00:12","dep_actual_utc":"2024-12-14 06:12","arr_iata":"JFK","arr_icao":"KJFK","arr_terminal":"8","arr_gate":"47","arr_baggage":"1","arr_time":"2024-12-14 06:04","arr_time_utc":"2024-12-14 11:04","arr_estimated":"2024-12-14 05:34","arr_estimated_utc":"2024-12-14 10:34","arr_actual":"2024-12-14 05:34","arr_actual_utc":"2024-12-14 10:34","status":"landed","duration":280}]}

This response provides detailed information about flight schedules, including estimated and actual departure and arrival times, which is crucial for travelers and travel agencies.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Comprehensive flight schedule data.
• Real-time updates on flight statuses.
• Customizable queries for specific flight information.

Cons:

• May require additional data sources for complete travel planning.
• Complexity in handling multiple flight schedules simultaneously.

Ideal Use Cases

This API is ideal for travel websites, booking platforms, and mobile applications that require accurate flight schedule information.

How It Differs from Real Time Flights API

The Flight Schedules API focuses on providing detailed flight schedule data, while the Real Time Flights API offers a broader range of real-time flight data, including live tracking and status updates.

4. Flight Delays API

{"status":200,"success":true,"data":[{"airline_iata":"0E","airline_icao":"NWC","flight_iata":"0E9052","flight_icao":"NWC9052","flight_number":"9052","dep_iata":"SBT","dep_icao":"USDA","dep_time":"2024-12-14 17:32","dep_estimated":"2024-12-14 13:09","dep_actual":"2024-12-14 17:32","arr_iata":"DME","arr_time":"2024-12-14 14:50","arr_estimated":"2024-12-14 19:05","status":"active","delayed":255}]}

{"itineraries":{"buckets":[{"id":"Best","name":"Best","items":[{"id":"13554-2209211735--32332-1-9828-2209212205","price":{"raw":105,"formatted":"$105"},"legs":[{"id":"13554-2209211735--32332-1-9828-2209212205","origin":{"id":"LHR","name":"London Heathrow","displayCode":"LHR","city":"London"},"destination":{"id":"BER","name":"Berlin Brandenburg","displayCode":"BER","city":"Berlin"},"durationInMinutes":210,"stopCount":1,"departure":"2022-09-21T17:35:00","arrival":"2022-09-21T22:05:00","carriers":{"marketing":[{"id":-32332,"logoUrl":"https://logos.skyscnr.com/images/airlines/favicon/EW.png","name":"Eurowings"}]}}]}}]}}

{"country":"Europe/Berlin","current_time":"2023-05-29 19:46:20"}