Delays: Why 1 Million EU Travelers Are Already Tracking Their Flights with AirHelp
- 7 Million Hours Lost Due to Delays
- As air travel disruptions persist, new data shows that travelers are regaining control over their flight information, with the AirHelp app reaching 1 million users within 12 months of its launch.
PARIS, June 22, 2026 — With nearly 7 million hours lost due to flight delays in 2025, passengers are increasingly turning to information sources outside traditional airline channels. Highlighting this shift, AirHelp announced that its free independent flight-tracking app surpassed 1 million users just one year after its launch.
With users ranging from Fiji to Laos and Kyrgyzstan, more than 5 million searches have been conducted over the past 12 months on flight numbers, airlines, and airports. The data also reveals a behavioral shift: nearly half of app users (46%) track someone else’s journey, showing a growing reliance on independent real-time data to monitor friends and family.
“Reaching one million users in a year demonstrates a clear demand for information parity,” said AirHelp CEO Tomasz Pawliszyn. “When disruption occurs, travelers want immediate visibility. They are using independent data to track their flights in real time, protect their schedules, and claim compensation when possible.”
New Features Bridging the Compensation Gap
The app’s growth coincides with the rollout of new features. The “Where is my plane?” function allows users to track the specific aircraft assigned to a flight and follow its journey prior to departure.
In addition, the multi-inbox system automatically scans travel history and identifies eligible past disruptions up to three years after the incident. With 21 million passengers eligible for compensation in 2025, these tools help close the gap between passenger rights and action.
The app now supports eight languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, and Portuguese.
Regional Trends: Ryanair and Major Hubs Under Scrutiny
AirHelp app data reveals two major trends in Europe: Madrid is the most tracked airport among users, while Ryanair is the most monitored airline.
Spain, France, and Italy form the core of the user base. In Spain, the most tracked airports are Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Alicante, and Palma de Mallorca. In France: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Lyon, Marseille, and Nice. In Italy: Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Milan Bergamo, Naples, and Bologna.
International destination trends vary: Spanish users most frequently track Amsterdam, French users Dubai, and Italian users Barcelona.
Airline tracking data confirms Ryanair’s dominance among AirHelp users, with the airline generating the highest tracking activity in both Spain and Italy. In France, Air France is among the most tracked airlines by users.
About AirHelp
AirHelp is a travel technology company specializing in flight disruptions. Since 2013, it has secured compensation for more than 3 million passengers. 12 million passengers have protected their flights with AirHelp+ Protection, and millions more benefit from free information available on AirHelp.
AirHelp has also launched a new app offering real-time flight tracking, disruption alerts, and additional protection options.
The company is committed to a greener future: it plants one tree for every 100 flight disruptions and has already planted more than 200,000 trees.
World’s Leading Source for Flight Compensation
Through innovative artificial intelligence and a dedicated team of more than 400 AirHelpers, AirHelp enables any traveler in the EU, the UK, and beyond to receive up to €600 for flight delays and cancellations.
Source: AirHelp
