FAA NOTAM Search vs NOTAM History
The FAA NOTAM Search website is built for current operational briefing in the United States. NOTAM History is built for historical reconstruction — worldwide, by date — when expired NOTAMs are no longer on FAA or other public sites.
Side-by-side comparison
| FAA NOTAM Search | NOTAM History | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Current & recent NOTAMs for flight planning | Historical NOTAMs for a specific past date |
| Time focus | Active now (operational briefing) | Archive snapshot up to ~2 years back |
| Expired NOTAMs | Not available once cancelled/expired | Retrieved from archive by date |
| Geography | United States (FAA system) | Worldwide ICAO aerodromes & FIRs |
| Delivery | Browse on website | Email + saved search history (account) |
| Typical user | Pilot, dispatcher, briefer | Investigator, lawyer, safety officer, insurer |
When to use each
Use FAA NOTAM Search (or your EFB/briefer) before a flight to see what is active today in the US NAS. Use NOTAM History when you need documented proof of what was published on a past date — for example after an incident, insurance claim, or regulatory audit involving a US or international location.
NOTAM History does not replace FAA or Eurocontrol briefing for live operations. It complements those systems by answering retrospective questions once notices have expired and disappeared from public briefing interfaces.
Why FAA search cannot show old NOTAMs
FAA NOTAM Search is an operational tool. Its mission is to present accurate, current NOTAMs for safe flight planning — not to maintain a multi-year public archive of every lapsed notice. When a US NOTAM expires or is cancelled, it is removed from the operational feed that powers the search site.
Investigators and lawyers working US cases therefore need an archive path for historical reconstruction. NOTAM History accepts US ICAO codes (KJFK, KLAX, KORD, and FIR identifiers such as KZNY) with a past validity date. See our US NOTAM archive guide for examples.
Pricing and scope
NOTAM History searches by ICAO and date worldwide, with archive depth of approximately two years via professional data APIs. Pricing: €9.99 one-off, €29.99/year for ten searches, €29.99 top-up packs. Results arrive by email within seconds.
For a broader framing of current versus retrospective NOTAM use, read current NOTAMs vs historical NOTAMs. For why expired notices vanish from public sites, see why expired NOTAMs disappear.
Case examples: FAA search vs archive
A US runway incursion investigation may need proof that a taxiway closure NOTAM was active on the occurrence date. FAA NOTAM Search today shows only current NAS notices; NOTAM History with K-coded aerodrome and historical date retrieves the archived active set including expired items.
An international operator flying into KJFK uses FAA products for current US briefing before departure — correctly. Six months later, a claim involving a European station requires EHAM archive data, not FAA search.
Legal teams should not cite FAA NOTAM Search printouts dated after an incident as proof of pre-incident publication. Archive retrieval with documented parameters closes that evidentiary gap.
Professional use summary
NOTAM History delivers archived NOTAMs by ICAO aerodrome or FIR and historical validity date, with approximately two years of archive depth via professional aviation data APIs. Pricing: €9.99 one-off, €29.99/year (ten searches), €29.99 top-up. Email output uses ICAO plain-text format for investigators, lawyers, insurers, safety officers, and operators. Not for pre-flight briefing — use FAA NOTAM Search or approved operator systems for current US and international operations before flight.
NOTAM History queries professional archive APIs by 4-letter ICAO aerodrome or FIR code and historical validity date, returning ICAO plain-text NOTAM output by email within seconds. Archive depth is approximately two years where supported. Pricing is €9.99 per one-off search, €29.99 per year including ten searches, or €29.99 top-up packs. The service is designed for investigators, aviation lawyers, insurers, safety officers, and operators who need expired NOTAMs no longer shown on FAA NOTAM Search or briefing apps — and is not for pre-flight operational briefing.
Search historical NOTAMs
Enter a 4-letter ICAO aerodrome or FIR code and a date up to two years in the past. Results are delivered to your inbox within seconds.
Start a NOTAM archive search