byAir vs FlightDeck
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
byAir
This app provides accurate, real-time flight tracking with live status updates, delay predictions, and airport guidance. It automatically imports flight bookings from email and calendars, and allows for easy import of historical data from other apps. Users can also access airport guides and check-in information.
- Real-time flight tracking
- Delay predictions
- Auto-scan email and calendar for bookings
- Import flight history from other apps
- Airport guide with travel tips
- Live flight board
- One-tap check-in access
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Stay ahead of every flight with byAir - get live flight updates, delay predictions, and airport guidance before you need them. Trusted in the cockpit. Loved on every trip. No ads. Privacy first. ▶ Track What Matters, Instantly • Live Flight Updates Search and track flights in real time - get live status updates, estimated arrival/departure times, terminal and gate info, route, distance, duration, and remaining flight time. • Delay Prediction Plan ahead, not last-minute - byAir Predict monitors your flight starting six hours before departure, analyzing inbound aircraft, weather, airport congestion, and air traffic data. • Inbound Plane Status No surprises at the gate - see where your incoming aircraft is coming from and get aircraft details, so you know what to expect before it even lands. • Friends & Family Sharing Invite friends and family to byAir with a link so they can follow your flights in real time. Flight status, gate details, and airport information update automatically. No more "landed yet?" texts. • Live Activities & Widgets Stay informed about delays, gate changes, and cancellations with instant notifications. See flight updates at a glance with Live Activities and widgets. ▶ Your Flight History, On Autopilot • Personal Flight History Your flight history, beautifully organized - explore aircraft details, countries you've visited, and airports. See your journeys on a map and share your travel moments. • Auto-scan Email & Calendar No more manual entry - connect your email account once and byAir will automatically detect and add your upcoming flights as new bookings arrive. • Import from Other Apps Keep all your flight data in one place - easily import your flight history from FlightRadar24, App in the Air, Flighty, TripIt, OpenFlights, and more. • Personal Flight Tracking MCP Connect your travel data to your AI assistants - use your personal MCP link to access flights, trips, airport information, and travel history in Claude, Perplexity, Codex, and other compatible assistants. ▶ Arrive Prepared, Every Time • Airport Guide with Travel Tips Find your way around airports with tips verified by travelers - discover the fastest security lanes, best food spots, quiet lounges, and useful shortcuts. • Live Flight Board Stay up to date with real-time arrivals and departures for every airport, updated every minute. • One-Tap Check-In Open your airline's check-in page directly and get your boarding pass faster. • Taxi & Transport Options Worldwide From your door to the departure gate - find taxi and public transport options for any airport. Plan your journey to and from the airport with ease. Stay ahead of every flight - download byAir today! Privacy policy: https://byairapp.com/privacy_and_terms Need help with byAir? Contact connect@byairapp.com.
FlightDeck
This app provides real-time flight tracking with AI-generated insights, offering context beyond raw data. It highlights notable aircraft, weather conditions, and airport details, with customizable alerts and emergency detection.
- Real-time flight tracking map
- AI-generated flight briefs
- Notable aircraft spotting
- Weather intelligence overlays
- Detailed airport information
- Customizable flight alerts
- Emergency squawk detection
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Every plane in the sky. Every cockpit message. Every emergency, the second it happens. FlightDeck plugs into the same live feeds airlines and ATC run on and turns them into plain English. PILOT MESSAGES (ACARS) The digital messages pilots and dispatchers send worldwide, decoded live the moment they go out. Diversions, emergencies, mechanical issues, and the occasional cockpit humor. No other app shows you this. TRACK YOUR FLIGHT Follow any flight on your Lock Screen with real ATC-grade detail: IFR clearance, pushback, the exact runways it uses, even the inbound jet that becomes your flight. EVERYTHING ELSE Live weather radar, turbulence and pilot reports, D-ATIS, METARs, and plain-English NOTAMs. FAA ground stops and delays, active runways, gates, TSA waits, and approach charts. Emergency squawks are for military and government aircraft, and custom alerts you write in plain English. SUBSCRIPTION FlightDeck requires a subscription to use. We offer a weekly or yearly subscribtion. Privacy Policy: https://www.tryflightdeck.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.tryflightdeck.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: byAir at 73% against FlightDeck's 18%. byAir also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). FlightDeck's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 221) and chart position (#36 vs #174). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. byAir sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and FlightDeck sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
byAir holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlightDeck has 1.5K ratings behind it against 221, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of byAir's written reviews are positive against 18% of FlightDeck's.
byAir ships an update every 6 days, FlightDeck every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | byAir | FlightDeck |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (221 ratings) — better | 4.5 (1.5K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews — better | 18.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 221 | 1.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #174 | #36 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 415 MB | 139 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BYAIRAPP S.L. | JAC LLC |
Customer experience
byAir
FlightDeck
Bugs and requests
byAir
Reported bugs
21 issues- App crashes when swiping down on Profile tab
- App not launching after update
- Error 400 when trying to view flights
- Flight data lost/deleted
- Flights not showing until weeks before
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- Flight tracking data delayed or missing (gate, etc.)
- Entered seat number and booking code delete themselves
- Import from calendar not working
- App doesn't sync with calendar
- Flights don't show until weeks before
- Data delayed or doesn't show up (gate)
- Data transfer failed
- Does not register delays
- Does not sync flight data
- App shows flying when plane has a delay
- App shows plane arrived when it has a delay
- Daily limit reached message
- App not working without VPN in Russia
- Difficulty reading terminal/gate windows due to color choices
- Codeshare flights cannot be hidden
- Entered seat number and booking code delete themselves
Requested features
18 requests- Add page for saving loyalty numbers
- Add ability to see seat map
- Add ability to see loyalty program level (e.g., Aeroflot Bonus)
- Add more features from Flighty
- Add lifetime membership option
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- Add stamps like App In The Air
- Add ability to see world map with all flights and routes
- Add ability to see 3D globe with completed routes
- Add ability to see registration desks
- Add ability to merge flights into trips
- Add ability to connect connecting flights into one route
- Add 2D map instead of 3D globe
- Restore import and export of statistics for old flights
- Add dark mode option
- Add ability to remove flights that were not booked
- Add ability to see world map of all flights together
- Add ability to see world map with all flights and routes
- Add ability to see 3D globe with completed routes
FlightDeck
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
byAir
- byAir Pro weekly$2.997 Days
- byAir Pro weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
- byAir Pro weekly$4.997 Days
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- byAir Pro monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- byAir Pro monthly$9.991 Month
- byAir Pro monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- byAir Pro monthly2 Months trial$9.991 Month
- byAir Pro annual$39.991 Year
- byAir Pro annual1 Year trial2 variants$49.991 Year
- byAir Pro annual7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- byAir Pro annual$49.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$199.99
FlightDeck
- FlightDeck Pro$6.997 Days
- FlightDeck Pro$12.997 Days
- FlightDeck Pro$19.991 Month
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- FlightDeck Pro$49.991 Year
- FlightDeck Pro3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- FlightDeck Pro3 Days trial$69.991 Year
