Want to follow Santa's flight? Here's when NORAD and Google's trackers go live

The North American Aerospace Defense Command defends North American airspace 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. But on Christmas Eve, it tackles perhaps its most important mission: tracking Santa Claus as he delivers presents around the world.

Tracking Santa is something NORAD has done for decades. According to legend, in 1955, an ad in a Colorado Springs newspaper invited children to call Santa but inadvertently listed the phone number for the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor, also based in Colorado Springs.

Officers played along. Since then, NORAD Tracks Santa has gone global, receiving calls from around the world and posting updates on social media for millions of fans. NORAD also updates its website following Santa's progress on Christmas Eve.

For those looking to keep tabs on the big man, or simply plan ahead to Christmas Eve, here's what to know about the NORAD and Google's Santa trackers.

When does the NORAD Santa tracker go live?

The NORAD Tracks Santa website went live Dec. 1 and features Santa's North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games, holiday music and more.

The website is available in nine languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and Korean.

The NORAD Tracks Santa app is also available in the Apple App and Google Play stores, and the tracker will be available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, according to NORAD.

The map tracking Santa's trip around the world will begin Christmas Eve from NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations. Visitors can track Santa's flight from 4 a.m. to midnight MST.

Trackers worldwide can also call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) on Dec. 24 to ask live operators about Santa's location from 6 a.m. to midnight MST.

When does Google's Santa tracker go live?

NORAD isn't the only one tracking Santa. Google's Santa tracker also goes live Dec. 24.

The company's Santa tracker website is up and running and features various holiday-themed games. The website also features a countdown clock for when the Santa tracker is going live.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].