> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.airrating.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get your first Risk Score in under 2 minutes.

## 1. Get an API key

During private beta, API keys are provisioned manually. Contact [hello@airrating.io](mailto:hello@airrating.io) or join the waitlist at [airrating.io](https://airrating.io).

Once issued, your key looks like:

```
ar_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
```

<Warning>
  Never expose your API key in client-side code or public repositories.
</Warning>

## 2. Check the API health

Before making your first call, verify the API is up:

```bash theme={null}
curl "https://app.airrating.io/api/health"
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": "ok",
  "time": "2026-03-21T10:00:00Z",
  "components": {
    "api": "ok",
    "database": "ok",
    "ml_model": "ok"
  }
}
```

## 3. Get your first Risk Score

```bash theme={null}
curl "https://app.airrating.io/api/score?origin=FCO&dest=LHR&airline=AZ&date=2026-04-10&api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "origin": "FCO",
  "destination": "LHR",
  "airline": "AZ",
  "date": "2026-04-10",
  "score": 62,
  "confidence": 0.84,
  "delay_rate": 0.31,
  "avg_delay_min": 28.4,
  "total_flights": 312,
  "label": "Medium risk",
  "explanation": "This route has a historical delay rate of 31%. Weather at Heathrow is a recurring factor in the April window. Medium confidence based on 312 recorded flights."
}
```

## 4. Understand the score

| Score  | Label          | What it means                                       |
| ------ | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| 0–30   | Low risk       | Low historical delay rate, good conditions          |
| 31–60  | Medium risk    | Moderate delay probability, book with awareness     |
| 61–80  | High risk      | Elevated risk, consider alternatives or buffer time |
| 81–100 | Very high risk | High probability of significant delay               |

## 5. Explore other endpoints

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Airlines on a route" icon="plane" href="/api-reference/airlines">
    Get all airlines operating a route with their individual risk scores.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI explanation" icon="message" href="/api-reference/explain">
    Get a natural-language explanation of the risk drivers for a specific flight.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Route news" icon="newspaper" href="/api-reference/news">
    Get recent news and disruption reports for a route.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Key management" icon="key" href="/api-reference/keys">
    Validate your key, check usage, or create test keys.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>