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Santa tracker

Each Christmas we track Santa’s sleigh in real-time! Fans and followers of Flightradar24 have come to know it as a place where you can track Santa’s Christmas journey and see him steadily making his merry way around the world.

Track Santa this Christmas

For this special journey Santa doesn’t just appear as one of our aircraft icons. Instead, users can follow along with his dedicated reindeer drawn sleigh. The flight begins each year at 19:00 UTC on 23 December when Santa begins to warm up his reindeer and test his sleigh. We use a bit of special Christmas magic to track the flight alongside our usual mix of terrestrial and satellite-based ADS-B coverage. Santa is also helpfully able to extend the reach of his transponder by using the reindeer antlers as additional antenna.
Santa tracking using Flightradar24’s 3D View

How to track Santa's sleigh

Track Santa in 3D by pressing the 3D button in the bottom left corner of flight info panel on the web or in the app.

Santa’s team of dedicated Sleigh mechanics and reindeer powerplant specialists work throughout the year to ensure everything is in peak condition for his Christmas Eve deliveries. Based on filed flight plans and conversations with Elf Traffic Control, Santa is currently scheduled to depart the North Pole around 04:00 UTC on the 24th to make his way to the first houses as night falls in the far eastern time zones.

Track Santa this Christmas

Santa’s sleigh is an unique 9-engine Rangifer tarandus registered HOHOHO (MSN 0001). At 1,753 years old, it’s the oldest active airframe in the world. While the sleigh itself is ancient, a ninth power plant was added a number of years ago on an instrument flight rules-conditions Christmas Eve due to fog. This nose so bright has guided Santa’s way each Christmas Eve since 1939.

More recently, we’ve worked closely with Santa’s workshop to ensure the sleigh is outfitted with the latest tracking technology. An ADS-B transponder was installed a few years ago, allowing us to precisely track Santa’s position and help all good little children get to bed before he arrives. To enable Santa to check in with air traffic control, ICAO has issued the type designation SLEI.

Happy tracking and a merry Christmas to all!

Santa Tracker tracked over New York

Santa Tracker FAQs

Yes, Flightradar24’s Santa Tracker is available for free during the Christmas season. Users can access all the information about the flight of Santa on the Flightradar24 website or through the dedicated mobile app without a subscription.
You can track Santa on Flightradar24 by using the special tracking link provided or by searching for keywords such as SANTA1, HOHOHO, or R3DNO53.

Santa typically departs from the North Pole around 19:00 UTC on December 23rd, making his way to the first houses as night falls in the far eastern time zones.

To enable Santa to check in with air traffic control, the ICAO has issued the type designation SLEI for Santa’s sleigh.

Yes, you can track Santa on Flightradar24 using the dedicated iOS and Android app, in addition to the website.