On the map a coloured line shows the route of the aircraft. Purple colours indicate cruising altitudes. White colours indicate the plane is on the ground. As a plane takes off, the colours change from white, to yellow, to green, to light blue, to dark blue and finally to purple.

Of course! The colors on Flightradar24 primarily indicate the ground speed of the aircraft, but there are also important colors for altitude and aircraft type. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Primary Meaning: Aircraft Ground Speed (The Trail Colors)

This is the most common color coding you see on the map. The “trail” or “contrail” behind each aircraft icon is colored based on its current ground speed.

• White / Light Gray: On the ground. This includes taxiing, taking off, or landing.
• Blue: Slow speed. Typically less than 200 knots (≈ 370 km/h). This is common for propeller planes, helicopters, or jets in holding patterns or during approach.
• Green: Cruising speed. Between 200 and 400 knots (≈ 370–740 km/h). Most regional jets and turboprops will show green.
• Yellow: High speed. Between 400 and 500 knots (≈ 740–925 km/h). Common for commercial jets like Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s at cruising altitude.
• Orange: Very high speed. Between 500 and 600 knots (≈ 925–1110 km/h). Typical for faster commercial jets like the Boeing 777 or Airbus A350.
• Red / Dark Red: Extreme speed. Over 600 knots (≈ 1110 km/h). This is often seen with business jets (like the Gulfstream G650) or military aircraft. Commercial jets in strong jet streams can also briefly hit red.

Important: This is ground speed (speed over