FlightRadar24 Tracked a Record 230,000 Flights Thursday
In the middle of the busy summer travel season, the real-time aircraft tracking service FlightRadar24 observed a record number of flights Thursday, with 230,000 trips tracked by the service. This is the most traffic FlightRadar24 has ever recorded in one day since its launch in 2006.
Along with an announcement of the record-breaking day, the company tweeted out a sped-up video of the trips it followed that day.
Most traffic is over North America, Europe, most of China and East and Southeast Asia, where constant air traffic at nearly all hours is so dense that it hides the map from view. Meanwhile, massive holes in airplane traffic are visible over conflict regions where most refuse to fly; Libya, Yemen and Syria are air-traffic deserts. Many routes over oceans — which we've described as "highways in the sky" — are easily visible as well.
FlightRadar24 does not claim Thursday was the busiest day in aviation, as its data is limited to information received from planes equipped with ADS-B transponders and tracked by antennas affiliated with the Flightradar24 network. Still, 230,000 flights is an impressive number. The spike could have been caused by busy summer travel in the lead-up to a weekend.
It may not be stopping, either. In the same tweet, FlightRadar24 suggested that Friday could be even busier.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.