Why are some aircraft shown as yellow or red on the map?

Aircraft icons on the Flightradar24 map are normally shown in yellow, but you may occasionally see an aircraft displayed in red. The colors help indicate the aircraft’s status or how you are interacting with it on the map.

Yellow aircraft icons

Aircraft shown in yellow are being tracked in real time by Flightradar24 using data from our global receiver network.

Depending on the available tracking data and coverage in the area, an aircraft’s position may sometimes be estimated rather than based on a directly received position.

Red aircraft icons

A squawk code is a four-digit number transmitted by an aircraft’s transponder and used by air traffic control (ATC) to identify and track aircraft. Most squawk codes are assigned by ATC, but some have specific meanings, including 7500 for unlawful interference, 7600 for radio communication failure, and 7700 for a general emergency.

An aircraft icon may appear red for one of two reasons:

• You have selected the aircraft – When you select an aircraft and follow it on the map, its icon is highlighted in red so you can easily distinguish it from other aircraft.
• The aircraft is broadcasting an emergency squawk code – Aircraft can transmit special transponder codes to communicate certain situations to air traffic control. Flightradar24 highlights aircraft broadcasting the following codes in red:
  • 7600 – Radio failure: The aircraft is experiencing a loss of radio communication.
  • 7700 – General emergency: The aircraft has declared a general emergency.

A red aircraft icon does not necessarily mean that the aircraft is in immediate danger. The icon indicates the information being transmitted by the aircraft’s transponder.

Get notified about emergency squawk codes

You can receive notifications in the Flightradar24 app when an aircraft squawks 7700 or 7600.

Open the Flightradar24 app, go to Alerts, and enable the 7700 alert to receive notifications when a flight declares an emergency.

Learn also about custom alerts:
Tutorial: how to use Alerts on the Flightradar24 mobile app (iOS)
Tutorial: Adding Custom Alerts – Android

Want to know more?

To learn more about squawk codes and how they are used in aviation, check out our related articles:

• What are squawk codes used for? 
• Squawking 7700 – In-flight Emergencies from a Pilot’s Perspective
• Squawking 7700 – An Air Traffic Controller’s Perspective on In-flight Emergencies