ComparisonGroupArrivals vs checking flights by hand with a paper list
Airport arrival boards and airline websites are free and official. Here is what it takes to follow a whole group that way, and what a live board and a phone list change.
Short answer
Checking airport arrival boards and airline websites works well for a few flights, but for a group it means refreshing many pages, and a paper list is out of date as soon as a flight changes. GroupArrivals tracks every flight in your list live, shows times in each airport's local time, and alerts the team when a flight is late, cancelled or diverted. If you turn on check-in, greeters tap names on a phone instead of ticking a printout, and the office sees it at once.
| What you need | GroupArrivals | By hand |
|---|---|---|
| Check one flight quickly | Every flight in the group on one board, without searching each one. | Airport and airline sites are free, official and quick for one flight. |
| Flights on many airlines | One board, whatever the airline. | A different website for each airline or airport. |
| Stay up to date | Status updates live, and alerts come to the team. | Only as current as your last refresh. |
| Changes during the night | Email and push alerts when a flight passes your delay limit, is cancelled or is diverted. | You find out the next time someone checks. |
| Belt, gate and terminal | Shown with each flight on the board when available. | Shown on airport screens and on some websites. |
| Who is on which flight | Each flight shows its travelers. | Cross-check the paper list against the board by hand. |
| Time zones | Every time is shown in the local time of the airport where it happens. | Easy to mix up when guests fly in from different countries. |
| Marking arrivals | With check-in on, greeters tap a name on a phone link, even with no signal, and it syncs later. | Tick names on paper. The office cannot see them until someone calls. |
| Departures and no-shows | The same tap marks a traveler boarded, and no-shows can be marked too. An evening email sums up the day. | A paper list at the check-in counter, reported back by phone. |
| Changes to the list | Edit once, and the board and greeter links show the change. | Reprint, or write on the page. |
| Keep the office and client informed | The team board and the client link show the same live picture. | Phone calls and messages throughout the day. |
| Cost | A one-time group pass or a monthly plan. You can see your list on the board before paying. | Free, paid for in staff hours. |
When By hand is enough
When checking by hand is enough: one or two flights, a greeter who will be at the airport anyway, and nobody else waiting for updates.
When GroupArrivals fits better
When GroupArrivals is the better fit: many flights on different airlines, several greeters or airports, arrivals that start before dawn, or an office that needs to know who is in without phoning the airport.
Why checking by hand is still common
Airport arrival boards and airline websites are free, official and familiar. For a transfer company meeting two flights a day, or a planner with a handful of guests, opening a few pages and printing a list is simple and reliable.
Where it costs you time
With a larger group, the work grows with every flight. Thirty flights on eight airlines can mean checking eight websites, several times each, from early morning until the last landing.
- Each refresh shows one airport or one airline, never the whole group.
- A delay posted at 4 in the morning waits until someone checks again.
- Matching a flight on the board to the guests on your list is done by eye.
- Ticks on a paper list stay at the airport until someone phones them in.
- A late change to the guest list means a new printout for every greeter.
Moving from paper to a phone list
Load the group
Upload the guest list with arrival and departure flights as CSV or Excel. Every flight is checked to exist.
Turn on check-in
Check-in is off by default. Turn it on for the group if you have greeters at the airport.
Send each greeter a link
Scope it to an airport, a day, a direction or one flight, and add a PIN if you like.
Follow from the office
The board shows who is checked in, which flights are late, and who is still in the air.
Keep a printed list as a backup
Phones run out of battery and airports have dead zones. A printed manifest is still a good backup for the greeter's pocket.
Questions about checking flights by hand
Does check-in work without signal?
Yes. Greeters can keep tapping names with no signal, and the check-ins sync when the phone is back online.
Can I still print a list for greeters?
Yes. Export a manifest of arrivals or departures by day, airport or flight as CSV or Excel, and print it.
Is airport check-in required?
No. Check-in is optional for each group and off by default. Without it, you still get the live board, alerts and the client link.
Which time zone are the times in?
Every time is shown in the local time of the airport where it happens, so arrivals match the screens at the airport.
What if a guest's flight number has a typo?
Every flight is checked to exist when you upload, and likely typos are shown in the preview so you can fix them before saving.
Guides that go with this
How to meet a group at the airport and know who is still missing
Read the guideGuide for DMCs and event companiesHow to plan greeter shifts for a group's arrival days
Read the guideGuide for travel and event teamsHow to spot travelers who might miss a connection
Read the guideGuide for group organizersWhat to do when your group lands at more than one airport
Read the guideSee every featureAll guidesCompare with other ways of working
See your own list on the board today.
Upload your guest list and see every flight on the board before you pay. Live tracking starts at $29 per group.