🛫 by kevinmarch
Check Flight Status
Track upcoming flights and alert on delays, gate changes, or cancellations. Proactively suggest rebooking when delays compound.
When to Run
- Scheduled: 3x daily (morning, midday, afternoon) when flights are upcoming
- On-demand: User asks "check my flight" or "flight status"
- Day-of travel: Increase frequency to hourly
1. Find Upcoming Flights
Check for flights in the next 7 days:
- Calendar events: Look for events with airline names, flight numbers, or "flight" in title
- Email confirmations: Search recent emails for flight confirmations
- Travel apps: If integrated, pull from TripIt, airline apps, etc.
Extract for each flight:
- Airline and flight number (e.g., DL234, UA1234, AA100)
- Departure airport and time
- Arrival airport and time
- Confirmation/booking code
- Date
2. Check Flight Status
Method 1: Google Search (Quick & Free)
Google displays flight status directly in search results. Search with natural language:
DL234 march 4 nyc to denver
UA1234 today
AA100 march 5
[airline] [flight number] [date]
Google will show:
- Departure/arrival times (scheduled vs actual)
- Delay status
- Terminal and gate (when available)
- Aircraft type
This works for most major airlines and is the fastest way to check.
Method 2: Free Flight Tracking APIs
FlightAware (flightaware.com):
- Free tier available with registration
- API:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/[FLIGHT_NUMBER]
- Web scrape the page or use their AeroAPI (paid for high volume)
FlightStats (flightstats.com):
- Web interface free, API requires subscription
- Good for historical on-time performance
ADS-B Exchange (adsbexchange.com):
- Free, open-source flight tracking
- Real-time aircraft positions
- API available:
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=[ICAO_CODE]
Flightradar24 (flightradar24.com):
- Freemium model
- Web:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/[FLIGHT_NUMBER]
- Good for real-time tracking once airborne
Method 3: Airline Websites
Go directly to the airline's flight status page:
- Delta:
delta.com/flight-status
- United:
united.com/en/us/flightstatus
- American:
aa.com/travelInformation/flights/status
- Southwest:
southwest.com/air/flight-status
Most accept flight number + date and return real-time status.
What to Look For
- On time: Departing as scheduled
- Delayed: New departure time, delay duration
- Gate change: New gate assignment
- Cancelled: Flight cancelled
- Diverted: Rerouted to different airport
Note the data source and timestamp when reporting.
3. Assess Impact
For any non-normal status, evaluate:
Delays:
- How long is the delay?
- Does it affect connections?
- Will the user miss meetings at destination?
- Is it likely to get worse? (weather, mechanical)
Cancellations:
- What rebooking options exist?
- Same airline alternatives
- Partner airline alternatives
- Refund eligibility
Connections at risk:
- Minimum connection time needed
- Current connection time with delay
- Backup flights if missed
4. Research Alternatives (if needed)
If delay >1 hour or cancellation:
- Search for alternative flights on same airline
- Check partner airlines
- Look at nearby airports
- Note: price differences, timing, class availability
Present top 2-3 options with trade-offs.
5. Alert the User
If all flights on time:
- On scheduled runs: No alert needed (or brief "All flights on time")
- On user request: Confirm status
If changes detected:
🛫 Flight Update: [Airline] [Flight #]
[Route]: [Origin] → [Destination]
⚠️ Status: [Delayed X hours / Gate changed / Cancelled]
New departure: [Time] (was [Original time])
New gate: [Gate] (was [Original])
Impact:
- [Connection risk, meeting conflict, etc.]
Options:
1. [Keep current booking — arrive at X]
2. [Rebook to Flight Y — arrive at Z, [cost diff]]
3. [Alternative airline — details]
Reply with option # or "more options"
6. Take Action (if requested)
If user chooses to rebook:
- Guide through rebooking process
- Note airline phone number and confirmation code
- Draft message to affected parties if meetings impacted
- Update calendar with new times
7. Monitor Continuously (Day of Travel)
On travel day:
- Check status every hour starting 6 hours before departure
- Alert immediately on any changes
- Track gate assignments as they're posted
- Monitor security wait times if available
Configuration
Users can customize:
- Alert threshold: Only alert if delay >X minutes (default: 30)
- Check frequency: How often to poll (default: 3x daily, hourly on travel day)
- Proactive rebooking: Auto-search alternatives if delay >X hours
# config.env (optional)
DELAY_ALERT_THRESHOLD_MINUTES=30
PROACTIVE_REBOOK_THRESHOLD_HOURS=2
After Running
Summary of flight status:
- "✅ All [X] upcoming flights on time"
- Or: "⚠️ [Flight] delayed [X] hours — see options above"
