Upfire vs. TripIt: Which is the best flight tracker app?

Upfire vs. TripIt

TripIt and Upfire both help travelers manage their trips, but they’re built for completely different purposes. Whether you’re tracking your next vacation or syncing your corporate travel, here’s a clear breakdown to help you decide which app is best for your needs.

What sets Upfire and TripIt apart?

TripIt is part of SAP Concur, a B2B travel platform used by large companies to manage bookings and expenses. It's designed to help employees organize receipts, monitor corporate travel, and sync with company systems.

Upfire, by contrast, is an all-in-one flight tracking app designed for individual travelers — built by aviation nerds for aviation nerds. It delivers the most accurate, real-time flight data in the world. Upfire isn’t focused on expense reports. It’s focused on your flight: what is it's actual status, what’s going to happen next, and the fastest alerts if anything changes.

Why choose Upfire?

Upfire includes all the core flight-tracking features TripIt offers — like departure times, gates, and delays — and goes further with exclusive features the frequent flyers love, including:

  • The world’s fastest delay notifications, often beating the airline apps.

  • Inbound Plane Tracking with Where's My Plane?

  • Delay Predictions to help you rebook before the crowd.

  • Airport Intelligence to know how airport operations may affect your flight.

  • Upfire Friends to compare and share flights.

  • Upfire Passport to track your lifetime stats across flights, miles, and delays.

And while TripIt users often report clunky design, Upfire is laser-focused on crafting the best experience possible:

  • Apple Design Award winner.

  • App of the Year finalist.

  • Editor’s Choice pick.

  • 4.8-star App Store rating.

  • Loved by pilots, crew, and frequent flyers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use both Upfire and TripIt together?
A: Yes. Upfire integrates with TripIt Sync, automatically importing your upcoming flights into Upfire for real-time tracking.


Q: Is Upfire better than TripIt for flight tracking?
A: If you’re focused on your flights — not expense reports — Upfire is unmatched. With the fastest alerts, a smoother interface, and exclusive flight-tracking features, it’s built specifically for travelers who care about the details.


Q: Is TripIt free?
A: TripIt offers a free tier with basic features, and a paid version (TripIt Pro) with premium travel tools. Upfire also has a free tier, and the full power of the app is unlocked with Upfire Pro.

Final Verdict: Which flight tracker app should you choose?

Choose Upfire if you want a purpose-built flight tracker with the most accurate, real-time alerts, predictive tools, and a premium design focused on your flights.


Choose TripIt if you need to manage business travel, organize receipts, or sync with SAP Concur systems.

Ready to fly stress free?

Download Upfire

Download Upfire

Beautifully designed and powerful to use, Upfire is a first-class flight tracker for those on the move. The app offers detailed flight maps, live tracking, and delay forecasting — but the real magic is the perfectly timed notifications that keep you up to date and stress-free.

Beautifully designed and powerful to use, Upfire is a first-class flight tracker for those on the move. The app offers detailed flight maps, live tracking, and delay forecasting — but the real magic is the perfectly timed notifications that keep you up to date and stress-free.

Features

Upfire

TripIt

Real-time flight tracking

Real-time flight tracking

Inbound aircraft tracking

Inbound aircraft tracking

Delay predictions

Delay predictions

FAA mandated delays

FAA mandated delays

Real flight plan

Real flight plan

Ground radar

Ground radar

Weather radar

Weather radar

Taxi times

Taxi times

Aircraft age

Aircraft age

Timezone change info

Timezone change info

Connection assistant

Connection assistant

Flight history and stats

Flight history and stats

Add flights 365 days in advance

Add flights 365 days in advance

Offline mode

Airport Intelligence

Airport Intelligence

Alerts & Notifications

Where's my plane

Where's my plane

Schedule changes

Schedule changes

Delays

Delays

Cancellations

Cancellations

Gate changes

Gate changes

Check-in reminders

Check-in reminders

Static

Check-in reminders

Decoded aviation alerts

Decoded aviation alerts

Integrations

Live activities

Live activities

Widgets

Widgets

Apple Watch

Apple Watch

iPad

iPad

Android

Android

Social

Live sharing

Live sharing

Follow friend's flights

Follow friend's flights

Social sharing features

Social sharing features

Compare airport visits

Compare airport visits

Automations

Email import

Email import

2-way calendar sync

2-way calendar sync

Plans

Free plan available

Free plan available

No credit card free trial

No credit card free trial

Privacy-focused

Privacy-focused

From first-time flyers to million-milers, people love Upfire.

From first-time flyers to million-milers, people love Upfire.

David Pogue

@Pogue

Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Upfire. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!

Joel

Jan 31, 2023

Saved the day!

To: Upfire Crew

Two weeks ago, I had a one-day business trip planned—JFK to Buffalo for a quick meeting. At 7:30 am, Upfire alerted me to a delay two legs before my flight. JetBlue hadn’t posted anything, but I could see a delay was coming. I quickly booked a Delta flight out of LGA, arranged for my associates to meet me there, and made it to my meeting on time. If not for Upfire’s early alert, I’d have missed it. Thanks for a great experience!

Joel

Best Flight Tracking App

Date

•

Bdawgno1

I have used a lot of other flight tracking apps. Upfire takes all of them combined and make them look amateurish. Been using the app for several years. Yearly fee is less than a dinner out. And so worth paying!! It has saved me on both domestic and international flights - updates faster than airport boards on status. I know exactly where my arrival plane is and can judge how fast I need to in line to board my flight. Simply the best!!!!

Great travel app!

Sep 7, 2024

•

by BigPlayaz

If you fly at all, Upfire is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.

Brian Kelly

8h

The Best By Far

Mar 17, 2022

•

@LPAppsSuck

The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Upfire alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.

Parker Ortolani

@ParkerOrtolani

@Upfire is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.

Favorite app on my phone

Aug 20, 2024

•

a.czarnik

It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Upfire.

Paul Robichaux

@paulrobichaux

@Upfire just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Upfire team.

Charlie

Aug 2, 2022

How do you do it?

To: Upfire Crew

Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Upfire alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!

Charlie

Essential Travel App

Jan 4, 2023

•

Doc Ricardo

I’m a 2+ million mile flyer, and this app is essential for navigating the complexities of travel. Airport monitors are slow to update, but Upfire keeps you ahead. Forewarned is forearmed—this app equips you with the info you need to handle inevitable travel issues. Absolutely worth the annual fee.

Hendrik Haandrikman

@HHaandr

Signed up for @Upfire in an ongoing effort to get them on @RevenueCat, and the very first flight I used it for was cancelled. They let me know 30m (!) before the airline did, which meant that I hadn't left home yet. I'd have been on a train and would've wasted hours 🤯

Saved me HOURS of time! 6 Stars!

21 Sep, 2021

•

S0uthpaw96

This app is one of the best on the App Store and worth every penny. The user interface is fast, and their notifications beat every airline. Yesterday, I had a 2+ hour layover in ATL on my way to MCI. There was an earlier flight, but Delta wouldn’t let me book it due to a tight connection time. I used Upfire to monitor it anyway. Mid-flight, at 30,000 ft., Upfire notified me the earlier flight was delayed by 15 minutes, while my flight was landing 5 minutes early. I had a chance! I rushed off, snagged a standby seat, and made it just in time. Got to see my family earlier because of this app. Thanks, Upfire devs!

+3 million users enjoy Upfire

View more

David Pogue

@Pogue

Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Upfire. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!

Joel

Jan 31, 2023

Saved the day!

To: Upfire Crew

Two weeks ago, I had a one-day business trip planned—JFK to Buffalo for a quick meeting. At 7:30 am, Upfire alerted me to a delay two legs before my flight. JetBlue hadn’t posted anything, but I could see a delay was coming. I quickly booked a Delta flight out of LGA, arranged for my associates to meet me there, and made it to my meeting on time. If not for Upfire’s early alert, I’d have missed it. Thanks for a great experience!

Joel

Best Flight Tracking App

Date

•

Bdawgno1

I have used a lot of other flight tracking apps. Upfire takes all of them combined and make them look amateurish. Been using the app for several years. Yearly fee is less than a dinner out. And so worth paying!! It has saved me on both domestic and international flights - updates faster than airport boards on status. I know exactly where my arrival plane is and can judge how fast I need to in line to board my flight. Simply the best!!!!

Great travel app!

Sep 7, 2024

•

by BigPlayaz

If you fly at all, Upfire is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.

Brian Kelly

8h

The Best By Far

Mar 17, 2022

•

@LPAppsSuck

The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Upfire alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.

Parker Ortolani

@ParkerOrtolani

@Upfire is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.

Favorite app on my phone

Aug 20, 2024

•

a.czarnik

It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Upfire.

Paul Robichaux

@paulrobichaux

@Upfire just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Upfire team.

Charlie

Aug 2, 2022

How do you do it?

To: Upfire Crew

Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Upfire alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!

Charlie

+3 million users enjoy Upfire

View more

David Pogue

@Pogue

Ever since FlightTrack Pro died, I've searched for the ultimate flight-tracking app. Now I've found it: @Upfire. Beautiful, clear, useful info (even tracks the INBOUND plane for your flight). Often tells me about delays before the airline does!

Great travel app!

Sep 7, 2024

•

by BigPlayaz

If you fly at all, Upfire is amazing. It really does get updates on delays faster than what you'll get from the airlines. The app itself is so clearly built with care, attention to detail, and skill. All the extra info on your flight and your all time passport are great as well.

Brian Kelly

8h

The Best By Far

Mar 17, 2022

•

@LPAppsSuck

The best flight tracking app I have ever experienced in 15 years and 650k miles of business travel. Extremely stable, very pretty, and easy to use. Best of all, the app is super fast with gate changes and delay notifications. Upfire alerts me before the gate agents even know of a change. I love it so much that I've paid for my team to get subscriptions.

Parker Ortolani

@ParkerOrtolani

@Upfire is one of the most well thought out and well executed apps I've ever seen.

Favorite app on my phone

Aug 20, 2024

•

a.czarnik

It's like the old Apple motto: It just works. It does exactly what it needs to, nothing more, and it does it all flawlessly. It's genuinely my favorite app on my phone. Literal perfection. No notes. Now, if only every other app on my phone worked as well as Upfire.

Paul Robichaux

@paulrobichaux

@Upfire just saved Christmas! My son's flight home tomorrow afternoon was cancelled and the "bong bong bong" alerted me before @Delta or @Triplt did. I immediately got on the phone with Delta, got them rebooked. And all is now well. Thanks, Upfire team.

Charlie

Aug 2, 2022

How do you do it?

To: Upfire Crew

Last month, traveling from PHL to SFO, I got a Upfire alert about a 1-hour delay while standing by the crew at the gate. I asked the captain, who laughed and said I was wrong, suggesting I just listen to the P.A. 5 minutes later, he got a call—reassigned to another flight last minute. We were left without a pilot, and the flight was delayed an hour. The captain apologized as he left. Quite funny how it all unfolded. Information rules!

Charlie

Essential Travel App

Jan 4, 2023

•

Doc Ricardo

I’m a 2+ million mile flyer, and this app is essential for navigating the complexities of travel. Airport monitors are slow to update, but Upfire keeps you ahead. Forewarned is forearmed—this app equips you with the info you need to handle inevitable travel issues. Absolutely worth the annual fee.

Hendrik Haandrikman

@HHaandr

Signed up for @Upfire in an ongoing effort to get them on @RevenueCat, and the very first flight I used it for was cancelled. They let me know 30m (!) before the airline did, which meant that I hadn't left home yet. I'd have been on a train and would've wasted hours 🤯

Saved me HOURS of time! 6 Stars!

21 Sep, 2021

•

S0uthpaw96

This app is one of the best on the App Store and worth every penny. The user interface is fast, and their notifications beat every airline. Yesterday, I had a 2+ hour layover in ATL on my way to MCI. There was an earlier flight, but Delta wouldn’t let me book it due to a tight connection time. I used Upfire to monitor it anyway. Mid-flight, at 30,000 ft., Upfire notified me the earlier flight was delayed by 15 minutes, while my flight was landing 5 minutes early. I had a chance! I rushed off, snagged a standby seat, and made it just in time. Got to see my family earlier because of this app. Thanks, Upfire devs!

+4 million

View more

Switch to a better way to fly

Switch to a better way to fly

Download Upfire for free on the App Store and switch to a better way to fly.

Download Upfire for free on the App Store and switch to a better way to fly.

Give Upfire a try

Give Upfire a try

Date

Fri, 10 Aug

Gate

C2

Flight

FLI101

Seat

1A

Departure

TripIt

Arrival

Upfire

TRIP

FLY

Date

Fri, 10 Aug

Gate

C2

Flight

FLI101

Seat

1A

Departure

TripIt

Arrival

Upfire

TRIP

FLY