What am I flying over? How to see what's below your plane

Option 1: the seatback moving map

Many long-haul aircraft show a moving map on the seatback screen or the cabin display. It's free and needs no setup, but it usually shows your route, position and cities rather than naming the landmarks, mountains and coastlines directly below you, and it isn't available on every flight.

Option 2: study the route before you board

Look up your flight's route and think about what it crosses: coastlines, mountain ranges, big cities and islands. It's a good way to know what to watch for, but routes shift with weather and air traffic, so you can't be sure what's beneath you at any moment.

Option 3: GPS and an offline flight map

Your phone's GPS works in airplane mode, with no Wi-Fi or mobile signal needed. An app that pairs GPS with an offline landmark map can show where you are and name what's below and ahead. That is what AirReveal does on iPhone and iPad:

• Live position on a flight map, using your device's GPS.
• Landmarks, cities and natural wonders along your route, named as you pass over them.
• Which side to look from: whether a landmark, or the golden-hour sun, is on the left or right of the aircraft.
• Offline first: download your flight's content before departure and the maps and landmarks are ready without a connection.
• A flight journal and travel log that keeps every flight, the places you discovered and your country passport.

What you might see: two example routes

Routes change with the weather and air traffic, so treat these as examples of a typical routing, not a promise.

London to Rome

After crossing the English Channel, a typical routing heads across eastern France. On a clear day you may see the Alps, around Mont Blanc, before the flight reaches the Italian coast near Genoa and follows it south towards Rome.

London to New York

Flights often cross Ireland before several hours over the North Atlantic. Landfall is usually over Atlantic Canada, such as Newfoundland or Nova Scotia, and the last part of the flight often follows the coast of New England towards Long Island.

AirReveal follows your actual flight with GPS, so it names what's really below you, whichever way your flight goes.

How to see what's below you with AirReveal

1. Add your flight. On the Flight screen, tap Create New Flight, choose From and To, and pick Live Trip.
2. Download it. In My Flights, swipe your flight to the right and tap Download while you still have Wi-Fi.
3. Allow location. When your Live Trip starts, choose Always so AirReveal keeps tracking while your phone is locked.
4. Look out of the window. Switch to airplane mode when the crew asks; GPS keeps working. AirReveal names what's below and ahead, and which side to look.

Frequently asked questions

What am I flying over right now?

Use an app that combines your device's GPS with an offline map of landmarks, such as AirReveal. It places you on the map and names the cities, coastlines and landmarks beneath and ahead of your plane.

Does GPS work on a plane without Wi-Fi?

Yes. Your phone's GPS receiver works in airplane mode and doesn't need Wi-Fi or a mobile signal, although the signal is strongest by a window. The map and landmark data need to be on your device already, so download them before you board.

Which side of the plane has the best view?

It depends on your route, the time of day and where the sun is. AirReveal tells you whether a landmark, or the golden-hour sun, is on the left or right of the aircraft so you know which window to use.

How far can you see from a plane?

From a typical cruising height of about 11 km (35,000 feet), the horizon is roughly 370 km (230 miles) away. In practice haze and cloud usually limit what you can make out to much less, so coastlines, mountain ranges and big cities are the easiest things to spot.

Why can't my phone find GPS on the plane?

The aircraft's body blocks some of the satellite signal. Hold your phone near a window for a minute or two, and check that AirReveal is allowed to use your location.

Which side of the plane should I book?

Preview the route before you go. In AirReveal, switch the Flight screen to Plan and drag along the progress bar to see what you'll pass and which side it will be on. Planning is always free.

AirReveal is a personal flight companion, not an official flight-status, air-traffic or aviation-safety service. Always follow airline, airport and crew information.

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