Top 5 Flight Data APIs (and No-Code Alternatives)

Table of Contents

• Introduction: What Are Flight Data APIs?
• Top 5 Flight Data APIs
  • 1. Skyscanner Flights API (Travel Search)
  • 2. Amadeus Travel APIs (Self-Service Suite)
  • 3. Kiwi (Tequila) Flight API
  • 4. FlightAware AeroAPI (Flight Status & Tracking)
  • 5. Aviationstack API (Flight Data Feed)
• No-Code Alternatives to Flight Data APIs
  • GDSFlights.com – No-Code Flight Data Platform
• Conclusion
• Sources

Flight data APIs allow applications to access a wealth of airline and flight information programmatically. These APIs power everything from travel booking apps to flight trackers. In this article, we'll introduce what flight data APIs are and common ways they're used. Then we'll compare five well-known flight data APIs (including both free and paid options), outlining their key features, ideal use cases, and pros and cons. Finally, we'll discuss no-code alternatives for those who need flight data without writing code – highlighting GDSFlights.com as a leading no-code solution.

Introduction: What Are Flight Data APIs?

Flight data APIs are online services that provide access to airline flight information via a programming interface. Instead of manually checking airline websites, developers can use these APIs to query data such as flight schedules, availability, prices, and real-time status updates. Common use cases include:

• Travel search apps and websites: Finding flights for given routes and dates, comparing fares from different airlines or travel agencies, and even enabling flight booking.
• Research and analytics: Analyzing flight patterns, on-time performance, or pricing trends over time. For example, tracking fare fluctuations for a route or studying flight delay statistics.
• Fare alerts and tracking: Building tools that alert users when ticket prices drop or when a flight's status changes (like delays or cancellations).
• Travel planning tools: Integrating flight options into broader trip planning (e.g. showing available flights when a user plans an itinerary).

In essence, flight APIs give developers the raw data needed to recreate the kind of functionality you see on airline sites or travel platforms, but in their own applications. Some APIs focus on flight search and pricing (useful for booking and fare comparison), while others focus on operational data like live flight status and tracking. Below, we'll look at five popular APIs and what they offer.

Top 5 Flight Data APIs

1. Skyscanner Flights API (Travel Search)

Skyscanner, the popular travel metasearch engine, offers an API for flight data. The Skyscanner Flights API allows developers (who join their affiliate program) to tap into Skyscanner's extensive database of flights and prices. This API is geared towards flight search and fare data – it returns the cheapest or best flight options for given routes and dates, similar to what you'd find on Skyscanner's own website. Skyscanner's API does not handle bookings itself (users typically are redirected to airline or agency sites to book), but it excels at providing comprehensive fare information across airlines.

• Provider: Skyscanner (travel search engine).
• Key Features: Search for available flights by origin, destination, and date; retrieve pricing information for different carriers and itineraries; support for one-way, round-trip, and multi-city searches. Skyscanner also offers both an Indicative Prices API (for browsing cached lowest prices, useful for calendars) and a Live Prices API for up-to-the-minute fare quotes .
• Ideal Use Cases: Flight comparison websites or apps, fare tracking tools, or any application where users need to find the cheapest or best flights for a trip. For example, a travel startup can use this API to show flight options and then refer users to book tickets.
• Pros: Free to use if you are approved for Skyscanner's affiliate program (access to the API is provided at no charge once vetted) . It aggregates data from hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies, including many low-cost carriers, ensuring wide coverage of routes. The API is well-documented and returns results in JSON, making it relatively straightforward to integrate for developers.
• Cons: You must apply and be approved as an affiliate partner to get access (not open to everyone by default). Also, the API is read-only – it provides flight data but does not allow booking through the API, so you'll still need to redirect users to Skyscanner or the airline's site to complete purchases. This means less control over the booking UX for your app. Additionally, usage is governed by affiliate terms (for instance, you typically must attribute Skyscanner and might earn commission on bookings).

2. Amadeus Travel APIs (Self-Service Suite)

Amadeus is one of the world's major Global Distribution Systems (GDS) that aggregate airline data. Amadeus offers a collection of Self-Service APIs that give developers access to GDS data for flights. These APIs are quite powerful – they not only allow searching for flights and prices across 400+ airlines, but also provide data like seat availability maps, flight status, and even booking capabilities. Amadeus's APIs are enterprise-grade (used by many large travel companies) yet available to smaller developers with a freemium model.

• Provider: Amadeus (global travel technology company/GDS).
• Key Features: Very comprehensive flight data coverage. You can perform flight searches with real-time pricing and availability on over 400 airlines , including filtering by price, airline, cabin class, etc. There are endpoints for finding the cheapest travel dates or destinations (fare inspiration), retrieving detailed seat maps for an aircraft, getting live flight status updates, and more  . In fact, the Amadeus suite includes dozens of APIs – from basic flight offers search to more advanced analytics. For example, developers can access airport search/autocomplete, find most popular destinations, or even use AI-based travel recommendations .
• Ideal Use Cases: Full-fledged travel booking applications and services. If you are building an online travel agency platform or integrating a flight booking engine into your app, Amadeus provides the needed data and booking workflow. It's also useful for apps that need reliable official data – e.g. an app for travel agents, or a flight search engine that requires live seat availability and pricing directly from airlines. Even research projects can benefit from the rich data (though costs may be a factor for large queries).
• Pros: Extremely rich and reliable data source (direct GDS data is what airlines and travel agents use). A single integration can cover almost all airlines and even other travel content. Amadeus's self-service APIs use modern REST/JSON standards and are well documented, making them easier to work with than traditional GDS integrations . They offer a free monthly request quota for testing and development, so you can start at no cost and only pay as you scale up. In short, you get access to premium flight data (schedules, pricing, availability, ancillary info) that's hard to obtain elsewhere.
• Cons: Integration is more complex than lighter APIs – the learning curve is a bit higher given the breadth of data. You need to handle things like authentication, managing the search workflow (some searches may involve multiple API calls, e.g., initiate search then poll results), and interpret detailed response data. While a free tier exists, heavy usage or going to production will require a paid plan or enterprise contract. Costs can accumulate on a pay-per-call basis if your volume grows . Additionally, to issue actual tickets (booking through Amadeus), you might eventually need to be a certified travel seller or work within certain regulations, as the booking APIs are separate from just data retrieval.

3. Kiwi (Tequila) Flight API

Kiwi.com is an online travel agency known for its ability to combine flights from different airlines (including budget airlines) into a single booking. Kiwi offers the Tequila API, which gives developers access to its flight search engine. This API is similar in spirit to Skyscanner's, but with Kiwi you can both search and book through Kiwi's platform. It's particularly notable for finding unconventional route combinations (self-connect flights) to get cheaper deals. Kiwi's API also can provide data beyond flights, such as hotels or car rentals, making it a more multi-faceted travel API.

• Provider: Kiwi.com (OTA – Online Travel Agency).
• Key Features: Comprehensive flight search with support for complex itineraries. The Kiwi API can search 600+ airlines (including many low-cost carriers) and even mix-and-match flights from different airlines into one journey . It also supports multi-city searches, open-jaw trips, and various filters (max price, number of stops, etc.). In addition to flights, Kiwi's platform includes data for rental cars and accommodations, so those are accessible as well via the API . Technically, Kiwi offers both REST and GraphQL endpoints, giving developers flexibility in how they query data  . Authentication is handled with an API key, and Kiwi provides extensive documentation and Postman collections to help developers get started.
• Ideal Use Cases: Travel apps that want an easy way to allow flight search and booking without direct airline contracts. For example, a travel deals website or mobile app can use Kiwi's API to find flights and then redirect users to book on Kiwi.com (earning affiliate revenue). It's also great for chatbots or voice assistants – Kiwi's API has been used in chatbots like Eddy Travels to answer user queries with live flight deals in real-time . If your project targets savvy travelers who look for the cheapest itineraries (even if it means connecting two separate tickets), Kiwi's data is very useful.
• Pros: Free access for partners – Kiwi's business model is to take a commission on bookings, so they generally provide the API without upfront cost to developers (though you may need to register as an affiliate). Very broad coverage of airlines and routes, including carriers and combinations you might not find on other APIs. The ability to complete bookings through Kiwi is a plus if you want to monetize; Kiwi handles payment, ticketing, and even some support, which lowers the burden on your end. The API is quite developer-friendly with modern features (GraphQL, etc.) and is continuously updated as Kiwi expands (they've indicated goals to include trains and other transport, making it a multi-modal platform  ).
• Cons: Using Kiwi means your users will ultimately book via Kiwi.com – you relinquish some control over the user experience and branding at the final step. For developers who want to build their own booking flows entirely, this is a limitation. Access to Kiwi's API might require meeting certain criteria; for instance, through one affiliate network, they required at least 50k monthly users for API access . Small projects might not easily get approved, so it can be somewhat exclusive. Additionally, Kiwi's focus is on price/search data; it doesn't provide operational data like detailed flight status or airline-specific services (the way a GDS or FlightAware would). So if you need rich metadata about flights beyond finding and booking tickets, you'd need another source.

4. FlightAware AeroAPI (Flight Status & Tracking)

FlightAware's AeroAPI is a different flavor of flight data API – instead of fares and booking info, it provides live flight tracking and status data. FlightAware is a well-known service for real-time flight tracking (you may have seen their maps of planes in the sky). Their API allows developers to query this data for use in apps and systems. If your project needs to display flight status (departure, arrival, delays) or track flights on a map, AeroAPI is the go-to solution.

• Provider: FlightAware (specialized aviation data company).
• Key Features: Provides current flight status information (departure/arrival times, delay estimates, cancellations, gate info), live position tracking (latitude/longitude of aircraft, altitude, speed), and historical flight data. You can retrieve data by flight number, tail number, route, airport, and more. FlightAware also offers real-time alert webhooks for flight events. The API is robust: it can return not just raw data but also derived insights like predicted ETA using FlightAware's machine learning models . Historical data can go back years for analysis. Essentially, it's a one-stop source for aviation status/tracking info – covering commercial airlines, private planes, and general aviation. The data is global thanks to FlightAware's network of ADS-B receivers and partnerships.
• Ideal Use Cases: Any application where you need to know where a plane is or if a flight is on time. Examples: flight tracking apps, airport displays (FIDS), travel itinerary apps that show a user the status of their flight, or operational dashboards for airline ops and aviation enthusiasts. It's also used in logistics and research (e.g. analyzing flight routes or airport congestion).
• Pros: Highly reliable and detailed data stream. FlightAware's API is known for its scale – millions of flight status updates are processed, ensuring you get very up-to-date info . It's also quite developer friendly (REST/JSON with comprehensive documentation) . You can get both real-time and historical data in one service, and even set up alerts for specific flights (so your system gets notified when, say, a flight departs or arrives). Another plus is coverage: it includes not only major airlines but also private jets, giving a broader picture of the skies than airline-only sources.
• Cons: Cost – AeroAPI is a commercial product. There is no unlimited free tier; typically you get a trial or a small number of calls free, but beyond that it's pay-per-query or subscription-based . This can add up if you need continuous tracking data. For hobby projects, FlightAware does have a community feed program (if you run a receiver and feed them data, you gain some free access), but for most use cases you should expect to pay for substantial usage. Also, this API is solely about flight status/tracking; it doesn't provide fare or pricing information, so it serves a different need than the likes of Skyscanner or Amadeus. Lastly, working with live flight data means handling a lot of aviation-specific codes (airport codes, aircraft identifiers, etc.), so there is a slight learning curve to interpret the results meaningfully in your app.

5. Aviationstack API (Flight Data Feed)

Aviationstack is a popular flight data API that offers a little bit of everything (except booking) through a simple, developer-friendly service. It is part of the APILayer marketplace and provides aviation data with a generous free tier, making it accessible for smaller projects. Aviationstack aggregates data on flights worldwide including real-time updates and historical info, and is often used for building flight trackers or analyzing flight schedules.

• Provider: APILayer (Aviationstack.com).
• Key Features: Provides extensive flight data: real-time flight status and tracking, schedules of flights, airline routes, airport information, aircraft details, and even historical flight data . Essentially, you can look up any flight by number or route and get its current status, or query all flights departing from a certain airport, etc. It covers data for 250+ countries and 13,000+ airlines with worldwide coverage . The API is RESTful and returns data in JSON. A nice feature is that it's cloud-based and scalable – able to handle large volumes if needed – and you can upgrade to higher tiers if your usage grows.
• Ideal Use Cases: Apps or websites that need to display flight status or schedule info without heavy complexity. For example, a travel blog that wants to show live updates of flight delays, a small airport's website showing arrivals and departures, or a research project crunching historical flight timings. Given the free tier, it's also great for hobbyists or students who want to play with flight data (like building a simple tracker or doing data analysis) without incurring costs.
• Pros: Free plan available – you get 100 API calls per month at no charge, which is great for testing or light usage . The pricing for paid plans is also relatively affordable compared to enterprise APIs (plans start around $49.99/month for a lot more requests). Easy to sign up and get an API key instantly. The API is straightforward to use and comes with documentation and examples, so you can get up and running quickly. Another benefit is the wide range of data (covering flights, airports, airlines all in one), which means you might not need multiple sources. For many basic needs, Aviationstack provides a one-stop solution.
• Cons: The free tier, while nice, is limited in number of requests – serious applications will need a paid plan. Also, data on the free plan might be slightly delayed (some providers delay real-time data for free users by a few minutes). Aviationstack is read-only and focused on public data; it does not provide booking or pricing info, and for certain advanced data (like very detailed historical datasets or guaranteed ultra-low latency) you might need to look at more specialized (and expensive) APIs. Finally, because it's a generalized service, you might occasionally find data gaps or slight inaccuracies, especially for very recent flights – for mission-critical use, a dedicated source like an official airline feed or FlightAware might be preferred. But for most applications, it strikes a good balance between data breadth and cost.

No-Code Alternatives to Flight Data APIs

Not everyone is a developer or comfortable working with JSON and HTTP requests. If you want access to flight data but don't want to write code, there are a few alternatives:

• API integration platforms and widgets: Some services let you access APIs through graphical tools. For example, using Zapier or similar automation platforms, you might find pre-built integrations (like "get flight status" actions) that you can use in a workflow. Similarly, travel data providers often offer embeddable widgets or white-label search engines that you can put on your website with just a snippet of code (no API programming required). While these aren't as flexible as writing your own code, they can solve specific needs (e.g. show a flight search box or a live flight map).
• Data export tools: In some cases, airlines or GDSs provide data via downloadable reports or interfaces like Microsoft Excel plugins. These can be considered "no-code" ways to get data for analysis. For instance, an analyst could get a CSV of flight schedules or use a business intelligence tool connected to a data feed, rather than coding against an API.

The most direct no-code solution, however, is to use a specialized platform that abstracts the API and gives you a simple UI to get the data you want. A prime example of this is GDSFlights.com.

GDSFlights.com – No-Code Flight Data Platform

 GDSFlights.com is a leading no-code alternative for accessing flight data, especially focused on flight search and pricing information. It provides a user-friendly interface to query Amadeus GDS data without any programming. In essence, GDSFlights lets you do things like search for flights, find the cheapest fares on certain dates, view seat availability maps, or check live flight status – all through a web portal or dashboard instead of writing API calls.

• What data does it offer? GDSFlights connects to the Amadeus system, so it offers real-time flight pricing and availability (the same data travel agencies see in their reservation systems). You can search flights between destinations and get up-to-date fares and seat availability. It also offers a Cheapest Date Search feature to find the lowest fares over a range of dates (great for flexibility) . Additional features include viewing aircraft seat maps for specific flights (useful for seat selection or analyzing seat layouts) , and on-demand flight status updates to track flights . Essentially, it covers most of the flight info needs – from planning to status – by leveraging GDS data in the background.
• How it works (no-code): Instead of coding, users interact with GDSFlights through a graphical interface. For example, you might fill out a form with origin, destination, and dates, and GDSFlights will fetch the data and present it in a readable format (perhaps as a table of flight options or a downloadable file). There's no complex integration or technical setup required  – you just log in to the service. This eliminates the need to handle API keys, parse JSON, or worry about server-side logic. GDSFlights is handling all that via its platform, and you get the results directly.
• Who is it best for? This solution is ideal for travel professionals or businesses who need flight data but lack developer resources. For instance, a small travel agency that wants to quickly check fares across airlines could use GDSFlights instead of building a custom API integration. It's also great for market researchers, data analysts, or even content creators in travel who might want to gather pricing data or flight info for reports, without delving into code. Essentially, if you want GDS-level data and speed without investing in software development, a no-code tool like GDSFlights is the way to go.
• Comparison to traditional APIs: The advantage of no-code platforms is obviously ease of use – anyone who can use a web application can retrieve flight data. It dramatically shortens the time to get results (minutes instead of weeks of coding). Additionally, since GDSFlights uses a robust source (Amadeus), the data quality and depth are comparable to what you'd get by coding directly to the Amadeus API . You're not sacrificing data richness; for example, you can even get the exact seat map that an airline uses during booking , which is something only GDS or airline APIs usually provide. The trade-off is flexibility: a no-code tool will offer specific predefined functions (like searching flights, viewing seats) but might not cover every niche scenario an API could if you coded it yourself. Also, if you eventually want to integrate flight data into your own software or app, you might use the no-code tool for prototyping or occasional queries, but an API integration could be better for continuous, automated data exchange. That said, for many users who just need answers or data occasionally (and want it quickly), no-code solutions like GDSFlights hit a sweet spot.

Conclusion

Flight data APIs have opened up a world of possibilities for travel technology. Whether you're building the next big travel app, conducting research, or just tinkering, there's likely an API that fits your needs. We covered a range of options – from free fare search APIs like Skyscanner and Kiwi that are perfect for travel apps, to full-featured GDS APIs like Amadeus for enterprise-level projects, to flight tracking APIs like FlightAware for real-time status data, and a hybrid free solution like Aviationstack for general use. Each comes with its own pros and cons in terms of cost, complexity, and capabilities.

For those who prefer not to code, remember there are no-code alternatives. Tools like GDSFlights.com allow you to leverage the power of these APIs through friendly interfaces, lowering the barrier to entry for accessing flight information. This empowers travel agents, marketers, and analysts to work with flight data directly.

In choosing a solution, consider your project's requirements: Do you need live booking capabilities or just data? How technical is your team? What's your budget? The good news is that with the variety of APIs (and no-code tools) available today, accessing flight data – either through code or via point-and-click – is more achievable than ever. Safe travels on your journey through the world of flight data!

Sources:

• AltexSoft – Overview of Flight APIs and providers (Skyscanner affiliate access) 
• Amadeus for Developers – Flight Offers Search API (400+ airlines supported) 
• Amadeus API Integration Guide – Self-service APIs for GDS data (features for flights) 
• Amadeus API Pricing – Free tier and enterprise pricing considerations 
• Travelpayouts Blog – Examples of Kiwi.com API usage (600+ airlines, multi-service)  
• Travelpayouts Help Center – Kiwi API access requirements 
• FlightAware AeroAPI – Features of FlightAware's flight status/tracking API 
• FlightAware Developer page – Pricing model (paid queries) of AeroAPI 
• Aviationstack (APILayer) – Overview of data (global coverage, real-time, free tier limits)  
• GDSFlights.com – No-code access to Amadeus flight data (real-time pricing, seatmaps, status)