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Wheels Up vs Aviate: which Android flight tracker should you use?
Short answer: both are good Android flight trackers, and each has a clear strength.
Pick Wheels Up if you want to know whether you'll make your connection, hear about a late inbound plane before it's announced, and get warned when your airport is melting down, all included in one price.
Pick Aviate if you want a free tier for basic alerts, or widgets and a watch app.
Full disclosure: I build Wheels Up. Both are good Android flight trackers, but they're built for different travellers. Aviate is a polished all-rounder with a free tier. Wheels Up is built around the part of a trip that actually goes wrong: connections, late planes and busy airports.
The quick comparison
| Wheels Up | Aviate | |
|---|---|---|
| Layover rating (relaxed to rushed) | Yes | No |
| Inbound plane alerts (delayed, landed) | Yes, included | Pro only ("Where's My Plane") |
| Airport-wide delay and cancellation alerts | Yes | Not listed |
| Alerts about friends' flights | Yes, including cancellations | Sharing with Aviate users; Pro web links |
| AI flight assistant | Yes | AI tips in Pro indoor maps only |
| Gate, delay and cancellation alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi on board | Yes | Yes (Pro Starlink checker) |
| Boarding passes | Yes | Yes |
| Countries visited | Wheels Up ID with country stamps | Travel passport and stats |
| Everything included in one plan | Yes | Split between free and Pro |
| Price (US Play Store) | 14 days free, then $7.99/month or $39.99/year | Free tier; Pro $1.29/week, $39.99/year or $199.99 lifetime |
| Home screen widgets, Wear OS, calendar sync | Not yet | Yes |
| Indoor airport maps, LiveATC radio | No | Pro |
| Ads | None | None |
Aviate details are from its own website and press coverage as of October 2026; prices can change and vary by country. Check each app's Play Store listing for current prices.
Why travellers pick Wheels Up
- It tells you whether you'll make your connection. Wheels Up groups your flights into a trip and, the moment you land, rates your connection as relaxed, comfortable, brisk or rushed using live times. It even takes off time for a terminal change and for a busy airport. Aviate doesn't do this. How the layover rating works.
- You hear about a late plane before the airline says so. Wheels Up tells you which flight your plane is arriving on and alerts you when it's running late from its last flight, often the first sign your own flight will be delayed. On Aviate, inbound plane tracking is a Pro feature.
- It warns you when your airport is having a bad day. When a large share of flights at your airport are being delayed or cancelled, Wheels Up tells you, so you can start rebooking before the queue forms.
- It keeps you in the loop on friends and family. Add friends and you get alerts about their flights too, including cancellations, which is exactly what you need when you're doing the airport pickup.
- A flight assistant that talks like a person. It sums up your flight in a few plain-English sentences, using only real flight data, and answers your questions about it.
- One price, everything included. No deciding which features are free and which are Pro. The yearly price is the same $39.99 as Aviate Pro.
Where Aviate has the edge
- A free tier. If you fly a couple of times a year and only need basic alerts, Aviate's free version costs nothing. Wheels Up gives you 14 days free, then needs a subscription.
- Widgets, Wear OS and calendar sync, which Wheels Up doesn't have yet.
- More ways to pay, including a one-week pass and a lifetime plan.
Which should you pick?
| If you… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Often take connecting flights | Wheels Up |
| Fly through big, busy hubs | Wheels Up |
| Want to know about a late inbound plane before it's announced | Wheels Up |
| Pick up friends and family from the airport | Wheels Up |
| Want every feature in one plan, with no free/Pro split | Wheels Up |
| Only want free basic alerts | Aviate |
| Need widgets or a watch app | Aviate |
The easiest way to decide is to try Wheels Up on your next trip. The 14-day trial includes everything and doesn't need a card, so you'll see your layover rating and inbound plane alerts for yourself before paying anything.
Questions people ask
Is Wheels Up free?
Every new Wheels Up account gets 14 days with everything included and no card needed. After that, Wheels Up Premium is $7.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US, paid through Google Play, and every feature is included.
Is Aviate free?
Aviate has a free tier with flight status, gate and delay alerts, boarding passes, widgets and calendar sync. Features such as Where's My Plane, live notifications and indoor airport maps need its Pro pass or subscription.
Do Wheels Up and Aviate work on iPhone?
No. Both are Android apps. Aviate lists an iOS waitlist; Wheels Up is Android only for now.