I tried 2 Flighty alternatives for Android. Here’s the one I’d pick

The concept builders usually prioritize Apple’s ecosystem is one thing we hear on a regular basis, and among the finest examples is Flighty. For those who haven’t heard of it, Flighty is broadly thought to be among the finest flight-tracking apps on iPhone. Regardless of years of requests from Android customers, myself included, it nonetheless isn’t out there on Android.

Positive, there are many flight-tracking apps on the Google Play Retailer, however I’ve by no means discovered one which delivers the identical polished expertise as Flighty. Fortunately, that lastly appears to be altering.

Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been attempting two Flighty-like apps on Android — Aviate and byAir — and each have genuinely impressed me. Actually, in the event you’re an Android-only consumer, I believe one in all them might be the closest factor to Flighty but. Personally, although, there’s nonetheless one purpose I hold coming again to the opposite.

Let’s begin with Aviate, as a result of it’s the newer of the 2 apps and arguably the one which feels most at residence on Android.

Not like most flight-tracking apps that really feel like they have been designed for iOS first, Aviate is constructed particularly with Android in thoughts. It makes use of Google’s Materials 3 Expressive design language all through, which instantly makes it really feel at residence on a Pixel or Galaxy cellphone.

Extra importantly, although, it will get the fundamentals proper. The app is totally ad-free, the corporate claims it doesn’t embody trackers (ironic for a flight monitoring app, huh) or promote your knowledge, and it consists of lots of the core options you’d count on at no cost.

Plus, it consists of all the usual options you’d count on, like flight monitoring, real-time gate adjustments, notifications, and even calendar syncing at no cost. This isn’t one thing I can say for byAir, which payswalls each notifications and calendar syncing.

Along with robotically importing your flights, you too can add them manually by coming into the airline and flight quantity, or by scanning your boarding move together with your cellphone’s digital camera.

On high of that, Aviate affords a couple of genuinely helpful extras, together with a Starlink Wi-Fi checker that tells you whether or not your upcoming flight helps Starlink. There’s additionally a Jetlag Advisor, AI-powered airport lounge suggestions, and even a built-in LiveATC feed browser and participant.

Design-wise, Aviate locations a big world map on the high of the house display screen, which means you must scroll barely earlier than you attain your upcoming flight. When you open a visit, although, the flight particulars web page feels clear, fashionable, and really Android-like, with a properly designed route map and all of the necessary flight info introduced clearly.

The corporate additionally affords a paid Professional tier that unlocks extras like airport indoor navigation, public flight sharing, and LiveATC integration. On the entire, although, the free model already covers most of what I’d need from a flight-tracking app.

As a lot as I like Aviate, byAir continues to be the app that matches my workflow higher. And the reason being really quite simple: I take advantage of two telephones.

Alongside whichever Android cellphone I’m testing or day by day driving, I additionally often carry my iPhone Air. I change between the 2 all through the day, so I don’t need my flights and journey info tied to just one ecosystem.

That’s the place byAir has a giant benefit. It’s out there on each Android and iOS, and when you register, your flights sync between each platforms.

There are additionally a couple of design choices I really choose. While you open byAir, your subsequent flight is instantly entrance and middle. You continue to get the world map, annual journey stats, complete flight time, delays, and all the things else, however these stay in a separate profile part as an alternative of taking up the primary display screen.

byAir can be surprisingly forward in relation to AI integrations. The app already helps MCP, which means you possibly can join Claude, OpenClaw, and others on to it. That’s admittedly a distinct segment function at this time, but it surely’s good to see the builders already occupied with energy customers.

There are some issues I don’t like, although. The largest one is that even primary flight notifications are locked behind the paid plan. The app helps Android’s Stay Updates (Now Bar on Samsung Galaxy phones), however as soon as once more, you’ll must subscribe earlier than you possibly can really use them.

For a flight-tracking app, I believe primary notifications for delays and flight standing ought to be a part of the free expertise, particularly when Aviate already affords them.

Nonetheless, cross-platform assist outweighs these drawbacks for me, at the very least for now. Though that benefit might not final without end, as a result of Aviate’s iOS app is already in development.

Whereas byAir matches my workflow higher, I really suppose Aviate is the higher suggestion for many Android customers.

And it principally comes all the way down to options and pricing. byAir begins at $5.49 for a one-week move, $9.99 per 30 days, or round $39.99 per 12 months. Aviate, in the meantime, consists of many of the options individuals really need in its free tier.

And even in the event you determine to strive the Professional options, a one-week move prices simply $1.29, two weeks price $2.49, and three weeks price $2.99. Evaluate that with paying $5.49 for only one week of byAir, and Aviate turns into a simple suggestion.

My solely hesitation proper now’s that Aviate continues to be comparatively new and actively being developed. That’s not essentially a foul factor, but it surely additionally means I wouldn’t personally spend $199.99 on the lifetime plan simply but. And, in fact, there’s nonetheless no iOS app out there at this time, which doesn’t actually swimsuit my workflow.

If I solely used Android, although, I’d choose Aviate with out a lot hesitation. It feels extra at residence on Android, affords a way more beneficiant free tier, and it really feels just like the closest factor Android has to Flighty at this time.