Read this before you switch
Orbit cannot import your flights. Not from OpenFlights, not from anywhere — there is no importer yet. Moving a logbook across means typing it in.
OpenFlights has a free backup button that saves every flight in your account as CSV — take it regardless of what you do next. Orbit cannot read that file, so moving means typing from it, longest flights first.
It is less work than it sounds: three fields per flight — where from, where to, and when. Orbit derives the distance, the hours, the countries, the continents and every milestone from those. The method for rebuilding a history is written up in full.
The free tier holds 15 flights, so you can find out whether you like it before deciding whether to carry the rest across.
Orbit and OpenFlights, row by row
Including the rows Orbit loses. A table where one side wins everything is an advert, and you would be right not to believe it.
| Orbit | OpenFlights | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Partly.Android. iPhone in development. | Partly.Web only. No official app. |
| Log flights from any date | Yes.Any date, back to your first. | Yes.Any date, even before 1970. |
| Import from another app | No.Nothing yet — flights are typed in. | Yes.CSV, FlightMemory and TripIt. |
| Adds flights from your email | No.No | No.Only by way of TripIt. |
| Live tracking and delay alerts | No.It's a logbook, not a tracker. | No.No |
| 3D globe of your flights | Yes.Real orthographic projection, drag to spin. | No.Flat map. 3D only via Google Earth. |
| Works offline | Yes.All 8,801 airports on device. | No.Needs a connection. |
| Export your data | Partly.CSV, on Pro. | Yes.CSV and KML, free. |
| Works without an account | Yes.Guest-first. Sign in only to sync. | Partly.Browse without one; logging needs one. |
| Free tier | Partly.15 flights, then Pro. | Yes.Free, unlimited flights. |
| Price | Yes.$19.90/year or $49.90 once. | Yes.Free. Donations from $12/year. |
| Ads | Yes.None, on any tier. | No.Banner and full-page ads, unless you donate. |
Checked against OpenFlights’s own site and public sources on . Anything marked “not checked” is exactly that — not a quiet no.
Orbit, on the screen
The parts of the table above that are easier to see than to read.
What OpenFlights does better
- It is free, unlimited and open source — you could run your own copy of it.
- It imports directly from FlightMemory and TripIt. Orbit imports from nothing.
- Free CSV and KML export, and a desktop interface with filters, trips and public profiles that Orbit has no equivalent of.
What Orbit does better
- It is a website that its own FAQ says does not work well on tablets; Orbit is an Android app that works with no signal.
- A 3D globe in the app, rather than a flat map and a KML file for Google Earth.
- No ads on any tier. OpenFlights shows banner and full-page ads unless you donate.
Asked and answered
Is OpenFlights still working?
Yes. Code changes were still landing in September 2026, and the site posted a notice that month about fixing password-reset email. Maintenance is light — the public issue tracker has hundreds of open issues — but it has not shut down.
Is there an OpenFlights app for Android?
No official one. OpenFlights is a website, built for desktop browsers, and its own FAQ says it does not work well on tablets. Orbit is a native Android app with every airport stored on the phone.
Can Orbit import my OpenFlights CSV?
No. Orbit has no importer yet, so the CSV is a list to work from rather than a file to upload. Each flight needs three fields — where from, where to and when — and Orbit computes the distance, hours, countries and milestones itself.
Why use Orbit if OpenFlights is free?
If you want your logbook on your phone, offline, on a 3D globe and without ads. If a free website on a desktop suits you, OpenFlights is a perfectly good answer, and it imports from more places than Orbit does.
What Orbit works out for you
You enter an airport pair and a date. Everything below is computed from the airports’ own coordinates — which is why entering a flight takes a few seconds rather than a form.
Start with the flights you remember.
The long ones first — they carry most of the distance and most of the milestones. Free for your first 15, no account needed, no ads on any tier.