Why do flight paths look curved on the map?

Flight paths can appear curved on a flat map because aircraft often follow a Great Circle route - the shortest distance between two points on the Earth’s spherical surface.

Although the route may look indirect on a two-dimensional map, it can actually be shorter and more efficient than a route that appears straight.

Actual flight paths may differ from the Great Circle route due to factors such as airways, waypoints, air traffic control requirements, weather, and oceanic tracks, including the North Atlantic Tracks (NATs).

So, a curved flight path on Flightradar24 does not necessarily mean the aircraft is taking a longer route.

To learn more about flight paths, check this blog post.