On Wednesday, September 18th, FlightAware began offering a new tracker to help Apple customers find where their new iPhone is currently located. The aircraft tracking website assists users in finding which aircraft their iPhone is located on, especially as United Parcel Service (UPS) begins transporting iPhone deliveries from the manufacturing facility, located in China, to the United States and the rest of the world. These deliveries are for preordered iPhone 16s, which are brand-new and set for official release on Friday, September 20th.
Cargo aircraft delivering iPhones
FlightAware offers a new feature called the Apple iPhone Tracker that helps its users track their new iPhone 16 delivery via the cargo aircraft it is located on. The feature shows a list of UPS aircraft, typically Boeing 747s, that are reportedly transporting these iPhones. Many iPhones that are manufactured are shipped to locations around the world via shipping vessels. However, Apple is rushing to deliver the first wave of their new product ahead of its release date, which is Friday, September 20th.
Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock
These aircraft are currently spread out across the world, although there are many common routes. The majority of the UPS aircraft transporting iPhones will depart from Shenzhen Bao’An International Airport (SZX) in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. These aircraft will then have a brief stopover at Anchorage International Airport (ANC) in Anchorage, Alaska, after an approximate 9.5 hour flight from China. From there, these UPS Boeing 747s will depart Anchorage to fly to the headquarters of UPS, and also its main distribution facility, at Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Louisville, Kentucky. The flight from Anchorage to Louisville is approximately 5.5 to 6 hours. From there, UPS will use regional aircraft or trucks to distribute the iPhones to customers across the United States. These flights have been ongoing for most of September 18, and they are expected to continue for the majority of September 19.
About the UPS cargo freighter service
UPS Airlines is the air cargo division of the UPS freighter service that was first launched in 1988. The air cargo division is one of the largest cargo airlines in the world, as it flies to 815 destinations across the world. It uniquely operates as a hub-and-spoke model, similar to many commercial airlines. The cargo airline’s headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, where the company built a facility known as the UPS Worldport. UPS Airlines also flies to many hubs spread across the world, including major locations in China, Canada, the Caribbean, and England, among others.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock
The cargo airline has a unique freighter fleet of aircraft. It recently became the largest operator of the Boeing 747-8F after it acquired 30 variants second hand. It was also the launch customer of the Boeing 757-200PF and the launch customer of the Boeing 767-300F. Other aircraft it operates includes the Airbus A300-600RF and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.