How many planes are in the sky right now?
The live count is catching up. Check back in a minute, or open Bogey to see every aircraft around you.
What this number counts
Most aircraft broadcast their position, altitude and speed by radio about twice a second. It’s called ADS-B, and it’s how Bogey sees the sky. A worldwide network of volunteer receivers, adsb.lol, picks those signals up. This count is every aircraft in the air in that feed right now.
The real total is higher. Receivers are on the ground, so aircraft far out over the oceans or over remote land often go unheard. Aircraft that don’t broadcast, including many military flights, never show up. Aircraft on the ground aren’t counted.
Why it changes through the day
Flying follows daylight. As morning reaches the busiest regions, North America, Europe and East Asia, departures pile up and the count climbs. Overnight in a region, it falls. Check back at a different time of day and you’ll see it move.
See them
The globe on the homepage shows the live traffic around the world. In Bogey, every aircraft near you is on the map at its real position: tap one and you find out what it is. Curious what a particular one is? Start with what plane is flying over me.
Quick answers
How many planes are in the sky right now?
Thousands at any moment, day and night. The live count on this page refreshes every minute.
Where does this number come from?
From ADS-B: most aircraft broadcast their position, altitude and speed by radio about twice a second. A worldwide network of volunteer receivers (adsb.lol) picks those signals up, and Bogey counts every aircraft in the air in that feed.
Why does the number change during the day?
Flying follows daylight. As morning reaches the busiest regions (North America, Europe, East Asia), departures pile up and the count climbs; overnight in a region, it falls.
Does it include military aircraft?
Only the ones broadcasting. Many military aircraft fly without ADS-B or with it switched off, so they never show up in public counts.
Which of them is over you?
Bogey shows every aircraft around you on a live map. Tap one and the card flips: what it is, who flies it, where it's going.
- A live map of every aircraft around you, at its real position.
- Tap one and it flips into a trading card: type, airline, route, photo.
- Catch rare ones. Build a collection. Climb the leaderboard.
