A TikTok creator is sharing a hack for iPhone users to help them receive the most recent updates on their flights while traveling.
TikTok creator Darby (@durbinmalonster) posted a video on Sunday, explaining the hack and sharing how it is her No. 1 hack as someone who worked in the airline industry for three years.
The hack is simple: iPhone users can simply text themselves their flight number with the proper airline code, and then it will automatically populate as a link they can click on to get real-time updates on departure and arrival times, their gate number, the duration of the flight, and more.
Darby showed an example from her phone using a flight from Miami to Salt Lake City. She also pointed out that the information can be helpful for travelers who may have loved ones or friends picking them up from the airport.
“Whoever’s picking you up can see exactly when the flight status changes. It’s the greatest hack. … I never [have] to look at the screens in the airport anymore,” Darby said, pointing out the wall of screens airports usually have to show flight information.
The Daily Dot reached out to Darby via email for further comment
The feature Darby showed is not necessarily new. There are reports of it going back to at least 2018, according to Travel + Leisure magazine. Flight-tracking has come a long way from travelers looking at a screen of numbers and words in airport terminals. A New York Times article from 1999 highlights when flight information first became available online. According to CNET, there’s a host of hidden features from Apple’s IOS 17 that helps users automatically delete verification codes, look up information visually using their phones camera, and make password-sharing easier.
@durbinmalonster S/O @Brooke Webster ♬ original sound – Darby
Commenters on Darby’s video seemed appreciative for her sharing the helpful feature.
“This is absolutely mind blowing information Darby,” user @caelliford said.
“I’ve learned more on tik tok than 8 years in college,” user @jenn1008100 said.
“I have NEVER known this! This makes my type A airport self so happy,” user Katie (@katien6513) said.
Unfortunately, Android users seemed to be out of luck in attempting to use the feature on their phone, but viewers shared possible alternatives.
“There’s a app called flighty as well that does this if you don’t have a iPhone,” user Natalie (@undefinednatalie) said.
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