How Do I Know Which Aircraft My Flight Is (or Was) On?

Where can I see the aircraft before the flight?

• Your booking. Many airlines and booking sites list the aircraft (or an equipment code) in the flight details. Open the trip and expand the flight.
• The airline app or flight status page. Some airlines show the aircraft type on the trip page.
• The seat map. The layout of the cabin gives the type away: the number of seats per row, the position of the exits and the cabins are specific to each model and version.
• A flight tracker. Search the flight number. Trackers show the scheduled aircraft type and, once a plane is assigned, its registration. See how to track a plane in real time.

Treat any answer before departure as a plan, not a fact. Airlines reserve the right to substitute aircraft, and a swap is common on busy days. The plane is only certain once the registration appears on the tracker or you see it at the gate.

How do I read codes like 32N or 359?

A booking often shows a three-character IATA equipment code instead of a name. ICAO, the body that serves air traffic control, uses four-character codes for the same aircraft. These examples are taken from the public list of aircraft type designators:

IATA codes separate variants by commercial differences such as size or interior, and they appear in timetables and reservation systems. If a code is not in a table, search for it with the words “IATA aircraft type code”.

How do I find the aircraft after I flew?

1. Use a tracker’s history. Search the flight number and open the past flights. The list shows the date, the aircraft type and usually the registration. Free plans keep only a limited window of past days, so do this soon after the flight. Older history may require a paid plan.
2. Check your photos. The safety card in the seat pocket names the model. The registration is painted on the aircraft, usually near the tail, and may be visible in a photo of the plane.
3. Look at the airline’s fleet. If an airline flies only one type on a route, a fleet list narrows it down, but it is only a guess without the registration.
4. Use the registration. Once you have it, photo and fleet databases confirm the type and the age of the aircraft. See how to find an aircraft registration.

Why does the aircraft type matter?

It tells you the cabin layout, the engines, the age of the aircraft and the number of seats, and it is the starting point for every other detail of the flight. Plane lovers also use it to build a list of every type they have flown.

How does FlightLog show the aircraft?

FlightLog is a flight diary for iPhone, iPad and Android. Each flight in your logbook shows its aircraft type and its registration, and a collection page keeps every aircraft type you have flown. FlightLog also includes seat maps. The aircraft also feeds your statistics, which include aircraft types alongside distance, airports and airlines.

To add flights without retyping, enter the flight number and date, scan a boarding pass, or forward your booking emails. FlightLog can also follow any plane live from ADS-B data with its position, altitude, speed and details. Related: how to keep a flight diary.