Aviationstack MCP Server

historical_flights_by_date

Retrieve flights that operated on a past date, with optional airline and route filters. Get flight date, status, number, airline, airports, and scheduled times.

Instructions

Return flights that already operated on a past date, with optional airline and route filters. Returns flight date, status, flight number, airline, and both airports with their scheduled times. Requires the Basic plan or higher. Use this for past dates only: use flight_arrival_departure_schedule for today and future_flights_arrival_departure_schedule for later dates.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`arr_iata`	No	Optional arrival airport IATA code filter (for example: LAX).
`dep_iata`	No	Optional departure airport IATA code filter (for example: JFK).
`flight_date`	Yes	Past date to query, in YYYY-MM-DD format.
`airline_iata`	No	Optional airline IATA code filter (for example: DL).
`number_of_flights`	Yes	Maximum number of flights to return, from 1 to 100.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.8.1Sep 19, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / flight_date / description

Previous value: -"Date in YYYY-MM-DD format."New value: +"Past date to query, in YYYY-MM-DD format."

changedInput schema / properties / number_of_flights / description

Previous value: -"Number of flights to return."New value: +"Maximum number of flights to return, from 1 to 100."

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.7.0Sep 16, 2026
- changedInput schema / properties / number_of_flights / description
```
Previous value: -"Number of random flights to return."New value: +"Number of flights to return."
```
- addedInput schema / properties / number_of_flights / maximum
```
Added value: +100
```
Addedv1.6.0May 4, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the transparency burden. It discloses the Basic plan requirement, the historical scope, the optional filters, and the data fields returned. It does not discuss edge cases such as invalid dates, empty results, or date-range limits, but the plan requirement and output scope are meaningful behavioral context.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three concise sentences deliver the core purpose, filter options, return fields, plan requirement, and sibling routing without redundancy. The most important usage constraint is front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a historical list tool with a full output schema and sibling tools, the description covers what the tool does, when to use it, what it returns, which plan it requires, and which alternatives to use instead. Nothing essential is missing for an agent to select and invoke it correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema already documents all five parameters with descriptions, and coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description adds a small amount of context by referring to 'route filters' and listing return fields, but it does not materially go beyond the schema's parameter documentation.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb and resource: 'Return flights that already operated on a past date.' It clearly distinguishes this tool from its siblings by emphasizing 'past date only' and naming the alternatives for today and future dates.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives explicit when-to-use guidance: 'Use this for past dates only.' It also names two sibling tools for the other time contexts, making the selection decision explicit and unambiguous.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server