If you don't have the flight number, the Flight Finder option can help locate the flight number (though you do need to know the aircraft's origin and destination airport).

Tracking a flight without a specific flight number is easy in 2026 using "Search by Route" features on apps like FlightAware, Flightradar24, or Flightstats. You simply enter the departure city and the destination city, along with the approximate time of day. The app will provide a list of all scheduled flights on that route, and you can usually identify yours by the airline's logo or the specific departure gate. Another high-tech method is to search by the aircraft's registration number (the "tail number" like N123AA) if you happen to know it or see it from the terminal window. On iPhone, you can also simply type the airline name and city (e.g., "Delta New York to London") into the Spotlight Search bar, and iOS will often pull up the relevant flight data automatically. In 2026, augmented reality tools like Plane Finder even allow you to point your phone's camera at a plane in the sky to see its origin, destination, and altitude in real-time without needing any flight digits at all.