Flightradar24 Support center

You may not see certain oceanic tracks on Flightradar24 because the North Atlantic Organised Track System (NATS) operates in timed blocks that vary by direction and day:

• Westbound Tracks (Daytime): Active from 1130 to 1900 UTC for flights heading from Europe to North America.

• Eastbound Tracks (Nighttime): Active from 0100 to 0800 UTC for flights traveling from North America to Europe.

These tracks are set daily based on factors like weather, wind patterns, and flight demand, meaning that some days may have fewer or additional tracks.

Future of Oceanic Tracks: With satellite-based positioning advancements, fixed tracks may eventually become unnecessary, as real-time navigation will allow for more flexible routes.

For more on the evolution and current use of oceanic tracks, check out these articles:

• Aireon’s Progress on Oceanic Track Elimination

• NATS Blog: Zero Westbound Tracks Milestone

• Flightradar24 Blog: Oceanic Tracking

These resources offer further insights into how transatlantic flight routing is adapting over time.