Overview
- The Christmas Eve operation is providing real-time updates as Santa departs the North Pole and heads west across the South Pacific, then on to Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
- More than 1,000 volunteers are answering calls at 1-877-HI-NORAD from 4 a.m. to midnight MST, with website calling enabled this year for easier access outside North America.
- Tracking leverages the North Warning System radar, infrared defense satellites that can detect Rudolph’s nose, high-speed SantaCams and occasional fighter-jet escorts that tip their wings in greeting.
- Families can follow on the NORAD website and mobile apps with updates in nine languages, while Google and Flightradar24 offer complementary trackers and live streams.
- NORAD notes Santa’s exact arrival time cannot be predicted, though he typically reaches most homes between 9 p.m. and midnight local time, and last year’s call center logged roughly 380,000 inquiries.