Schedule a flight before departure

Updated 2026-10-17

Prepare a flight update ahead of your travel date. FlightMessenger looks up the scheduled flight and refreshes some destination details closer to departure.

FlightMessenger Set up a flight before you travel

Start a flight message

Open the flight-message flow and enter the flight number you plan to take.

Choose the future flight date

Select the scheduled departure date and confirm the matching flight details before continuing.

Send the initial update

For a flight more than 24 hours away, FlightMessenger sends an initial message without destination weather and the fun fact, since those details can change before travel.

Receive the refreshed message

About 12 hours before departure, FlightMessenger checks the flight again and emails you an updated message with the destination weather and fun fact.

Check the selected flight

Airline schedules can change. Confirm the flight number, date, and route shown in the lookup before sharing the update.

More guides

How to share your flight status with family Compare four ways to share your flight status with family: airline apps, flight tracker links, location sharing and FlightMessenger. Step by step, with tips.
How to track someone else's flight Learn how to track a friend's or family member's flight: what information you need, where to find live status, how to read delays and what to do without a flight number.
Flight delayed and someone is picking you up? Here is what to do Your flight is delayed and someone is collecting you at the airport. How to keep your pickup informed, when they should leave home and how long arrivals really takes.
How to share a flight tracker link that needs no app Why a browser link is the easiest way for family to follow your flight, what a good tracking link shows and how to send one without anyone installing an app.
What time will I land in local time? Time zones explained Work out your arrival time in local time, understand +1 days, daylight saving time and the date line, and tell people at home when you really land.
Invite friends and build a shared flight history Learn how to invite a friend, accept a request, share a new or past flight, and view your shared travel history.
Read your flight delay statistics Find the Delays view in Statistics and understand total delays, average and longest delay, and airline-level details.
Explore your routes on the Flight Map Open your Flight Map, follow route lines, and tap airports or routes to see visits and flight-history details.
Manage your quarterly flight recaps Learn what a quarterly recap contains and how to turn FlightMessenger recap emails on or off in notification settings.
Export your logged flights to CSV Download a CSV of your logged flights from FlightMessenger Settings and open the file in a spreadsheet or keep it as a backup.