How to see where you are on a plane without internet

Option 1: the seatback screen

Many long-haul planes have seatback screens with a flight map: where you are, how high, how fast and how much is left. It's the easiest option, but not every plane or every seat has one. Many short flights have no screens, and sometimes the system just doesn't work.

Option 2: onboard Wi-Fi

Some planes have Wi-Fi. Some airlines offer it free on part of their flights and others charge for it; check your airline's website before you travel. If you have internet on board, any map or flight-tracking app will show where you are.

Two things to keep in mind: it can be expensive, and over the ocean or remote areas the connection may drop. If you wanted to look at the view right then, you depend on it working.

Option 3: your phone's GPS

This is the one that doesn't depend on anyone. According to GPS.gov, GPS satellites transmit one-way signals and the receiver calculates its own position: your phone needs no network for that. On Android, Google documents that the phone can locate itself using only GPS and sensors. There's more detail in does GPS work in airplane mode?.

The problem isn't the position, it's the map. If your app loads maps from the internet on the fly, on the plane you'll see a dot on an empty background. You need to prepare beforehand.

Step by step, before you leave

• 1. At home, on Wi-Fi: download the map or the data for your route. In Google Maps it's called an offline map; note that these maps expire if you don't update them.
• 2. Test it on the ground: turn on airplane mode, open the app and see if your position shows on the map. Do it outdoors or by a window.
• 3. Charge your phone and bring a charger or power bank on long flights.
• 4. Ask for a window seat when you book or check in.

Step by step, on the plane

• 1. Airplane mode: the FAA (in 2013) and EASA (in 2013 and 2014) cleared airlines to allow phones in airplane mode throughout the flight. Each airline decides, and crew instructions come first.
• 2. Phone near the glass: the fuselage is metal and the signal comes in through the windows. GPS.gov explains that accuracy gets worse when something blocks the signal.
• 3. Be patient: the first fix can take a while. Keep the phone still.
• 4. If it won't lock on: in an aisle or middle seat the signal may never reach you. Ask the person by the window if you can rest it near the glass for a bit.

What Modo Avión does

Modo Avión is an Android app built for this. With your phone in airplane mode and no signal, it shows your GPS position, what's below (cities, rivers, mountains), nearby airports, how much of the trip is left, which airspace you're in, and the weather you downloaded before leaving. It's free, with no accounts and no ads. It requires Android 8 or newer; it isn't on Play Store yet and you get it from mdavion.com/bajar.

Before you travel, you can see where your flight goes in routes. And to pick the right seat, read which side of the plane to sit on. It is not a flight instrument: it's for knowing what you're looking at out the window.

FAQ

Sources

Checked on 19/09/2026 against these sources.

• GPS.gov — GPS overview
• GPS.gov — GPS accuracy
• Google — Manage your Android device's location settings
• Google Maps Help — Download areas & navigate offline
• FAA — Portable Electronic Devices presser (31/10/2013)
• EASA — Electronic devices on and connected throughout the flight (26/09/2014)
• Delta — Onboard Wi-Fi (ejemplo de wifi gratis/pago según vuelo)

More from the guide

• Does GPS work in airplane mode?
• What is airplane mode and why do they ask for it?
• Which side of the plane to sit on for the view, the sunrise or the sunset
• Fear of flying: what's happening with every noise and bump