How Many Planes Are in the Air Right Now?

On any given day, thousands of flights depart and land at airports across the U.S. and the world. Curious travelers probably often wonder just how many planes are in the air at the same time. Thanks to technology and the fact that every single plane is tracked, it’s easily answered. To help break those numbers down, we went to the experts at flight-tracking software company FlightAware to lend us a hand.

So, how many planes are in the air right now?

The number of commercial airplanes in the sky at any given time fluctuates minute-by-minute, and air travel varies by time of day and day of week. According to FlightAware, which tracks this data, there are anywhere between 12,000 and 14,000 planes in the sky at the same time on an average day. Commercial flights make up about two-thirds of those airplanes, followed by general aviation, business, and cargo planes. 

“Real-time worldwide flight traffic is tracked around the clock,” Kathleen Bangs, a FlightAware spokesperson and a commercial pilot, told Travel + Leisure. “The numbers vary quite a bit. Obviously, at three in the morning, it’s going to be substantially less.”

The numbers vary by season, too. “Overall, summer months are the busiest for most countries, as that’s when they see the biggest demand for leisure travel, and of course, over major holidays and especially those that go over a long weekend,” Bangs told T+L in a previous interview. In 2024, the busiest month was July (788,520 flights), followed by August (775,610 flights). The lightest month for air travel last year was February, with 658,630 flights.

There are anywhere from 160,000 to 200,000 planes landing on a typical day. Not surprisingly, Bangs said the airline industry has rebounded, topping pre-pandemic records. “Up until the pandemic, 2019 was the busiest year in air travel but we’ve grown each year since Covid and the numbers in 2024 have exceeded that,” she said.

Another trend brought about by the pandemic is the increase in people opting for private air travel. Bangs says business aviation (private jet travel) in 2024 is up 16 percent compared to pre-COVID.

How do companies track flights?

Flights can be tracked using a technology called Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B). Most planes are equipped with ADS-B transponders that relay public data like location, altitude, and air speed to air traffic controllers. Flight-tracking companies use this public data to inform their own systems.

FlightAware, for example, has 35,000 ADS-B flight feeders mounted on the ground worldwide. These small receivers, which are no larger than two decks of playing cards, are used alongside satellite receivers orbiting Earth. “We can track flights anywhere on the globe, including previously inaccessible areas like the Indian Ocean, large swaths of deserts, rainforests and the North and South poles,” Bangs said.

But not all planes are trackable. Military aircraft aren’t recorded out of security concerns and owners of private aircraft can request to have their tail numbers blocked through privacy filings with the Federal Aviation Administration.  

What are some flight-tracking apps you can use at home?

While FlightAware is the go-to for aviation-related companies (plus airlines and airports), consumers can access its data, too. Two other options are Flightradar24 and Plane Finder. All three tracking companies have free versions of their software, accessible both via desktop and on mobile apps.

For the frequent flier, Bangs said FlightAware has two key uses. One is to track a flight if you’re picking someone up at the airport, and another is for your own travel. Travelers can track where their incoming aircraft is so they’ll know if the plane is at the gate waiting for their early morning departure or if connecting, if it’s on its way.   

“If you’re connecting it’s fantastic,” says Bangs. “If you go to the gate and don’t see your airplane, you can check the city pairing to see where it is right now and if you’ll be delayed. Often, you’ll have information faster than even the gate agents so you can go online and get to the front of the line to make a schedule change if needed.”