Flight Tracker: Plane Radar 24

What it does

Flight Tracker is a comprehensive mobile utility for monitoring air travel. The app allows users to track specific flights in real-time, view flights on an interactive 3D globe, and search for air traffic by flight number, route, or airline. It provides detailed information on departures, arrivals, aircraft models, and weather conditions, serving as a single source of truth for both casual travelers and aviation enthusiasts.

Where it shines

Where the app truly excels is in its data density and presentation. The flight detail screen (01:06) is a standout, consolidating everything from terminal information to the aircraft's age and registration number in one clean, scrollable view. This removes the need to check multiple sources. The main map view (04:26) is another highlight, transforming raw data into an engaging and interactive 3D globe that visualizes global air traffic in a compelling way.

UX highlights

Multi-vector search: The app offers robust search functionality, allowing users to find flights by number (00:52), by route (01:44), or by airline (03:19), catering to various user needs and contexts.
Effective personalization: The brief onboarding quiz (00:05) effectively frames the experience around the user's specific goals, whether they're a pilot, a traveler, or just an enthusiast.
Clear information hierarchy: Despite the vast amount of data, screens are well-organized. For example, the flight detail page (01:25) separates departure, arrival, weather, and aircraft information into distinct, easy-to-scan cards.
Interactive data visualization: The 3D globe (01:15) is more than just a map; it’s an interactive dashboard that makes the scale of global aviation feel tangible and accessible.
Actionable shortcuts: After searching for a flight, users can immediately save it to their favorites or share it with one tap (00:57), reducing steps for common actions.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is introduced early via a soft paywall after the initial onboarding quiz (00:25). The app presents a weekly plan with a 3-day free trial and a heavily discounted annual plan. It uses value-framing tactics like showing the price per week for the annual plan ("$1.34/week") and highlighting the savings ("Save 84%"). The paywall clearly lists the three primary benefits of subscribing: live tracking, real-time updates, and a no-ads experience. An interesting growth tactic is the early, mid-onboarding rating prompt (00:12), which attempts to secure a high rating based on the positive first impression of the setup flow.

Who it’s for

This app appears to be designed for three main user groups. First, the frequent traveler who needs reliable, real-time updates on delays, gate changes, and flight status. Second, friends and family of travelers who want to track a flight's progress for pickups or peace of mind. Third, aviation enthusiasts who would appreciate the deep aircraft details (01:31) and the ability to explore global air traffic on the live map.

Notes & opportunities

While generally polished, the user experience has a few points of friction. The rating prompt during the onboarding quiz (00:12) is an aggressive interruption that could annoy some users. Additionally, some empty states could be improved. For instance, when searching for nearby airports (04:08), the app shows a blank screen while loading, which could instead display a loading indicator or a message explaining that it's using the user's location to find airports.