The holiday season is upon us, and for many, that means travel. If you’re expecting family and friends to fly in or you’re taking to the skies yourself, you’ll be pleased to know that Apple’s iMessage has a handy feature that can help you keep tabs on all those important flights.

Gone are the days of frantic Google searches or third-party apps to monitor flight details. Now, thanks to the integration of flight tracking in iMessage, iPhone users can track any airline flight quickly and directly through their messages—a hidden gem especially useful during the bustling travel season.

Here’s how you can track flights through iMessage on your iPhone:

1. Open Messages: First, open the Messages app on your iPhone.

2. Send or Receive Flight Information: Either send a message with the airline’s flight number or ask someone to send it to you. For instance, texting “UA123” will work for United Airlines flight 123.

3. Preview Flight Details: After sending or receiving the message with the flight number, tap on the underlined airline flight number which should appear as a hyperlink.

4. View Live Flight Information: By tapping the link, a pop-up card reveals detailed live flight information including departure and arrival times, terminal and gate information, as well as a real-time map showing the current location of the plane.

This feature builds into iMessage and taps into live data from the aviation industry to provide accurate and timely information about flights around the world.

Remember:

– The feature often works best with direct flight numbers rather than layover or connecting flights.

– Some regional or smaller airlines might not be supported.

– Make sure your device is running the latest version of iOS to ensure the best performance of this feature.

Tracking flights through iMessage is one way Apple is leveraging convenience in your regular communication app. So this holiday season, whether you’re coordinating a pick-up from the airport or eagerly awaiting a loved one’s arrival, using your iPhone’s iMessage for live tracking could ease some of that travel anxiety and leave more room for celebration.