I'm a frequent flyer who hates flying. I swear by this $6/month app to keep me sane while I travel.

• The year 2022 was one of the worst for flight delays and cancellations in the US.
• As a frequent flyer, I was worried about having to deal with more flight disruptions in 2023.

As much as I love to travel, I hate flying.

But that didn't stop me from traveling more in 2022 than I have in years: a 30th birthday trip to Aruba; a family vacation in Cyprus; a long weekend with a friend in Copenhagen.

I don't regret any of these trips, but like many travelers in 2022, I could have done without the travel disruption that came with them. On multiple occasions, I spent hours in airports glued to departure boards waiting for updates that weren't going to come. Airline apps and websites weren't much help, either.

But after two flight cancellations and a handful of delays, I vowed 2023 would be the year I'd become a smarter traveler. Even if I couldn't control the whims of the airline industry, I told myself I had to find a way to get answers ahead of time.

After a little research, I found Flighty, a travel app that shares real-time updates on everything from where your plane is before you get on it to where to pick up your bags — a godsend for a habitual overpacker like me.

I used the app on two recent trips — one to Miami, another to London — and loved getting flight updates before the airlines shared any. I felt like I was one step ahead, and it saved me time and energy at the airport. If you're someone who also travels a fair amount, and like me gets anxious at the airport, I'd recommend it. I've found it so useful, I even pay for the premium version.

I rarely buy apps but I don't regret paying for Flighty

There's a free, basic version of Flighty available to download on an iPhone, but I've found the app is better if you pay for it.

The free version shares real-time updates on flight delays; gate changes; departure, takeoff, and check-in time; and cancellations.

A paid subscription for Flighty Pro currently costs $5.99/month or $49.99/year and comes with additional data including "where's my plane" alerts — my favorite part of the app — plus notifications about FAA airport delays and traffic, connection information, aircraft changes, and a flight-path map.

Paying for the app also gives you updates on arrival time and baggage-claim information, which not all airlines offer. And as someone who usually checks a bag, it's nice to know before the plane doors even open where I can find my stuff.

I signed up for a free trial for Flighty Pro in February before my flight to Miami for a work trip and liked it so much that I ignored my reminder to cancel, happily paying $5.99/month for the premium version.

Since then, I've jumped for a year's subscription for $47.99, which works out to $4/month, saving me 33% on the monthly fee. The usual price is $49.99/year, but the app offered me a discounted rate, presumably because I was already paying the monthly fee; it also refunded me the difference between what I'd paid so far this year when I upgraded, which was nice.

There's a "lifetime" subscription fee for $249, too, but I'm happy with the yearly fee for now.

For an app that pulls so much information, it's simple to use

At first, I thought I'd have to input a bunch of flight-confirmation numbers to get updates but thankfully, there's a speedier option: You can either manually search for flights, or sync your calendar to automatically import all your flight information — a no-brainer.

Syncing my calendar showed me not only all my upcoming flights, but also the flights I'd taken in the past, which you'll enjoy if you too are a travel nerd.

It's worth it for the 'Where's My Plane?' function alone

By far, I think the best part of the app is the "Where's My Plane?" function.

According to Flighty's website, the app monitors an aircraft's whereabouts for 25 hours before a flight's departure time and says a late inbound plane is the No. 1 reason for a delay.

It came in handy before my flight to Miami, which wound up being delayed by 49 minutes. Thanks to Flighty, I knew ahead of time and could see my plane was 39 minutes late to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport, where I was waiting. Instead of sitting at the gate waiting for updates, I ordered another coffee at the terminal's La Colombe and answered emails.

Equipped with this intel, I felt more relaxed than usual in the face of a delay, especially for a work trip. I thought back to last summer when I waited for a flight to Copenhagen at New York City's JFK Airport, and was one of the passengers cheering when the aircraft turned up hours after its original departure time. The airline I was flying with shared no information on the plane's whereabouts, beyond that it was late. Had I used Flighty, I'd have known when it would arrive. I could've visited the lounge for a sandwich, rather than sitting at the gate, stomach rumbling.

A forecast with flight predictions is another smart feature

Another part of the app I like is the "Arrival Forecast," which gives an overview of an airline's performance on your route in the last 60 days.

While waiting for the plane to arrive in Philadelphia to take me to Miami, I felt reassured to see that most of the delays for that route weren't worse than 45 minutes. And before traveling with JetBlue in April, it was comforting to see that 0% of its New York to London flights had been canceled.

Flighty could have saved me hours when my flight to Atlanta last June was canceled and I was left waiting for answers at New York's LaGuardia Airport before the board showed that the plane wouldn't take off.

Ultimately, Flighty can't work miracles — there'll still be delays and cancellations — but at the very least, it's given me some answers. And while I still hate flying, I feel more confident gearing up for takeoff.