VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing CME FedWatch Tool and FlightAware will find that Both CME FedWatch Tool and FlightAware concentrate on Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. CME FedWatch Tool leans into Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Calendar, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. FlightAware stands out with Alerts, and Satellite / Geospatial that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
CME FedWatch Tool vs FlightAware
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- CME FedWatch Tool adds Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Calendar coverage that FlightAware skips.
- FlightAware includes Alerts, and Satellite / Geospatial categories that CME FedWatch Tool omits.
- CME FedWatch Tool highlights: Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view..
- FlightAware is known for: Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions., Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data., and AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication..
- FlightAware offers mobile access, which CME FedWatch Tool skips.
CME FedWatch Tool
cmegroup.com
Official CME probabilities for upcoming FOMC decisions, derived from 30‑Day Fed Funds (ZQ) futures. Web tool provides meeting‑by‑meeting probability matrices, comparisons over time, a historical download, and a Dot Plot view. A paid REST API is available for programmatic access. CME documents the probability‑tree methodology clearly; API snapshots update on business days at ~01:45 UTC. Media usage asks attribution to “CME FedWatch.”
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
- Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
- Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
- One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
- Transparent methodology: unconditional probabilities via a binary probability tree built from implied EFFR, assuming 25 bp step sizes.
FlightAware
flightaware.com
A global flight-tracking platform offering free web and mobile access to live flight data. Premium subscriptions add unlimited alerts and extended historical lookback. Enterprise offerings include AeroAPI (REST), Firehose (streaming), and Rapid Reports (one-off email deliveries).
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions.
- Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data.
- AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication.
- FlightAware Firehose delivers a continuous enterprise-grade feed of real-time, historical, and predictive flight data over secure TCP/SSL connections.
- Global coverage powered by fused data sources: national air navigation providers, ACARS messages, over 30,000 terrestrial ADS-B receivers, Aireon space-based ADS-B with ~1-minute updates, and FlightAware’s HyperFeed® ML engine processing tens of thousands of position messages per second.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
CME FedWatch Tool
Distinct strengths include:
- Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
- Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
- Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
- One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
FlightAware
Distinct strengths include:
- Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions.
- Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data.
- AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication.
- FlightAware Firehose delivers a continuous enterprise-grade feed of real-time, historical, and predictive flight data over secure TCP/SSL connections.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | CME FedWatch Tool | FlightAware |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations Unique: Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Calendar | Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations Unique: Alerts, Satellite / Geospatial |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Futures | Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, Mobile, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free, Subscription, One-time |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do CME FedWatch Tool and FlightAware both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do CME FedWatch Tool and FlightAware require subscriptions?
Both CME FedWatch Tool and FlightAware keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
FlightAware ships a dedicated mobile experience, while CME FedWatch Tool focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
CME FedWatch Tool differentiates itself with Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view., whereas FlightAware stands out for Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions., Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data., and AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication..
Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.