What Is Departra?
Departra is a free, web-based flight information service that makes air travel data accessible to everyone. We aggregate live flight positions, airline schedules, departure boards, airport guides and weather conditions into a single, clean interface that works on any device — desktop, tablet or mobile. No account needed, no app to install. Just search a flight number and you are on your way.
Whether you are a passenger monitoring your own departure, a family member tracking an incoming arrival, a business traveller planning connections, or an aviation enthusiast watching traffic patterns, Departra presents the data you need without the clutter that plagues most flight-tracking tools.
Our Mission
We believe flight information should be accessible, accurate and free. Millions of people check flight statuses every day — passengers anxious about delays, families waiting at arrivals, colleagues coordinating travel schedules. Yet most existing tools are overloaded with features that the average traveller never uses, buried under advertising, or locked behind paid subscriptions for basic data.
Departra was built to change that. Our mission is to be the simplest, fastest way to answer the question: "Where is my flight right now?" We show the essential information first — status, gate, estimated time, weather — and let you dig deeper only if you want to. No dark patterns, no unnecessary sign-up walls, no premium upsells for basic tracking.
How We Source Our Data
Departra combines data from multiple trusted aviation sources to build the most complete picture possible of flight operations worldwide:
- AirLabs — We use the AirLabs aviation data API for flight schedules, airline details, airport metadata and route information. AirLabs aggregates data from airlines, airports and civil aviation authorities to provide reliable schedule and status information.
- ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) — Live aircraft positions come from a global network of volunteer ADS-B receivers via services like airplanes.live. ADS-B is the transponder technology that modern aircraft use to broadcast their GPS position, altitude, speed and heading. Thousands of aviation enthusiasts operate ground receivers that pick up these broadcasts and feed them into open databases, giving us near-real-time aircraft tracking across most of the world.
- METAR Weather (aviationweather.gov) — Current weather conditions at airports are sourced from METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Reports) provided by the Aviation Weather Center, a division of the US National Weather Service. METAR is the international standard for reporting weather at airfields and is used by pilots, airlines and air traffic control. We decode the raw METAR data into plain English so anyone can understand conditions at their departure or arrival airport.
- Open-Meteo — For extended weather forecasts and conditions beyond what METAR provides, we use the Open-Meteo weather API, which draws from national meteorological services worldwide.
- Open Aviation Databases — Airport layouts, runway data, terminal information and airline fleet details are sourced from community-maintained public databases including OurAirports and similar open-data projects.
Accuracy and Limitations
While we work hard to ensure accuracy, please be aware of the following:
- Flight positions may be delayed by a few seconds compared to actual aircraft location.
- ADS-B coverage varies by region. Some areas — particularly over oceans, polar routes and parts of Africa and Central Asia — may have limited or no coverage.
- Gate assignments and departure times reflect the most recent data available but may not include last-minute changes made by the airline.
- Weather observations (METAR) are typically 15 to 60 minutes old and are refreshed regularly as new reports are issued.
Important Disclaimer
Departra is not an official airline or airport service. The information we provide is for general informational purposes only. Always confirm flight details directly with your airline or airport, especially regarding check-in deadlines, gate changes and cancellations. Do not rely solely on Departra for time-critical travel decisions.
We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any airline, airport authority, or aviation regulator. All airline names, logos and trademarks referenced on this website belong to their respective owners.
About the Company
Departra is a product of Fine Content Limited (Company No. 16603901), a company registered in England and Wales.
Get in Touch
Have a question, spotted an error in our data, or want to suggest an improvement? We would love to hear from you.
Or email us directly at hello@departra.com.
You can also review our Privacy Policy to understand how we handle your data.