Flight status tracker: How to check online after FAA grounds all flights

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken an unprecedented step by grounding all flights within the United States on Friday afternoon. This nationwide ground stop was initiated due to extraordinary circumstances and priorities of safety. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed the ground stop order via his X (Twitter) account, attributing it to a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs).

The FAA has only ever ordered such a nationwide grounding twice before: on September 11, 2001, and on January 11, 2023, when the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system encountered problems. In 2024, a similar ground stop was implemented following an IT outage at CrowdStrike. The current FAA notice states that all departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice.

For travelers whose plans are affected, it is crucial to stay informed. Airlines should enable notifications to deliver real-time updates about individual flights. Several online resources also provide live flight tracking and status updates. The Flighty app (available for iOS) uses FAA air traffic control data to monitor flights.

FlightAware, accessible via a website and app for both Android and iOS users, offers live tracking for flights. Misery Map, also powered by FlightAware, displays cancellations and delays across the country. Flightradar24 is another live radar map available through a website and app (for Android and iOS).

As of now, Misery Map lists 2,438 delays. The FAA's National Airspace System Status website, located at https://nasstatus.faa.gov/, provides general updates on active airport events. Travelers can also check the social media profiles and websites of specific airports for localized updates. This situation is still developing...