Flightradar24 MCP Server

What is Flightradar24 MCP Server about?

Provides a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes Flightradar24 flight‑tracking data to Claude Desktop, enabling natural‑language queries about flights, airports, and emergencies.

How to use Flightradar24 MCP Server?

1. Prerequisites – Install Claude Desktop and obtain a Flightradar24 API key.
2. Installation – Clone the repository, run npm install and npm run build to compile the TypeScript source.
3. Environment – Copy .env.example to .env and set FR24_API_KEY (and optionally FR24_API_URL).
4. Claude Desktop integration – Add an entry to claude_desktop_config.json under mcpServers pointing to the built dist/index.js file, and supply the same environment variables.
5. Restart Claude Desktop; you can now ask flight‑related questions and the server will respond with live data.

Key features of Flightradar24 MCP Server

• Real‑time tracking of any flight by number.
• Retrieval of arrival and departure times for specific flights.
• Airport‑wide status view (all flights currently at an airport).
• Detection and reporting of emergency flights.
• Simple Node.js setup with a single command to start the server.
• Secure handling of the API key via environment variables.

Use cases of Flightradar24 MCP Server

• Aviation enthusiasts asking casual questions about flights overhead.
• Travel planners checking ETA, delays, or gate information.
• Operations teams monitoring airport traffic or emergency incidents.
• Developers integrating live flight data into Claude‑driven assistants or other conversational agents.

FAQ from the Flightradar24 MCP Server

Q: Claude can’t connect to the server. A: Verify the absolute path in claude_desktop_config.json, ensure the API key is correct, and restart Claude Desktop.

Q: The server isn’t responding. A: Confirm the Flightradar24 API key is valid, the FR24_API_URL is correct, and check the server logs for error messages.

Q: Do I need a paid Flightradar24 subscription? A: Yes, the API requires a subscription; free accounts do not provide API access.

Q: Where should I store the API key? A: In the .env file (which is git‑ignored) and also in the env section of the MCP configuration.

Q: Can I run the server without building it? A: The repository is written in TypeScript; you must run npm run build to produce the JavaScript files before starting the server.

Flightradar24 MCP Server 🛩️

A Claude Desktop MCP server that helps you track flights in real-time using Flightradar24 data. Perfect for aviation enthusiasts, travel planners, or anyone curious about flights overhead!

What Can This Do? ✨

• 🔍 Track any flight in real-time
• ⏰ Get arrival and departure times for specific flights
• 🌉 View the status of flights at an airport
• 🚨 Monitor emergency flights

Setup Guide 🚀

1. Prerequisites

• Claude Desktop installed on your computer
• A Flightradar24 API key (get one from Flightradar24's website)*

2. Installation

1. Clone this repository somewhere on your computer:

   git clone https://github.com/sunsetcoder/flightradar24-mcp-server.git
   

2. Install dependencies & build the project:

   cd flightradar24-mcp-server
   npm install
   npm run build
   

3. Integration with Claude Desktop

1. Open your Claude Desktop configuration file:

   # On Mac:
   ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   
   # On Windows:
   %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   

2. Add the following to the mcpServers object in your config:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "flightradar24-server": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": [
           "/Users/<username>/<FULL_PATH...>/flightradar24-mcp-server/dist/index.js"
         ],
         "env": {
           "FR24_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here",
           "FR24_API_URL": "https://fr24api.flightradar24.com"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Important Steps:

   • Replace /FULL/PATH/TO/flightradar24-mcp-server with the actual full path to where you cloned the repository
   • Add your Flightradar24 API key in the env section
   • Make sure to use forward slashes (/) in the path, even on Windows

4. Restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect

Environment Setup

1. Copy .env.example to .env:

   cp .env.example .env
   

2. Update the .env file with your actual Flightradar24 API key:

   FR24_API_KEY=your_actual_api_key_here
   

Note: Never commit your actual API key to version control. The .env file is ignored by git for security reasons.

Let's Try It Out! 🎮

Once the server is configured, you can ask Claude questions like:

1. "What's the ETA for United Airlines flight UA123?"
2. "Show me all flights currently at SFO"
3. "Are there any emergency flights in the area?"
4. "Show me all international flights arriving at SFO in the next 2 hours"
5. "How many commercial flights are currently over the Pacific Ocean?"
6. "Identify any flights that have declared an emergency in the California region"

Example conversation with Claude:

You: What's the status of flight UA123?
Claude: Let me check that for you...
[Claude will use the MCP server to fetch real-time flight information]

Common Questions & Troubleshooting 🤔

"Claude can't connect to the server"

• Check if the path in claude_desktop_config.json is correct
• Make sure you're using the full absolute path
• Verify your API key is correct
• Try restarting Claude Desktop

"The server isn't responding"

• Make sure your Flightradar24 API key is valid
• Check if the API URL is correct
• Look for any error messages in server logs

FlightRadar API Access

• Note: Using Flightradar24's API requires a subscription

Need More Help? 🆘

1. Make sure Claude Desktop is properly installed
2. Verify your Flightradar24 API key is active
3. Check the path in your configuration file is correct
4. Look for error messages in MCP server logs

License 📄

MIT

---

Made with ❤️ for aviation enthusiasts