diff --git a/serve.py b/serve.py
index fe1b5b0..943db3b 100644
--- a/serve.py
+++ b/serve.py
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ UPSTREAMS = {
 # may serve a stale cache rather than nothing.
 OPENSKY_CACHE_FRESH_SEC = 120
 
+# OpenSky OAuth2 (client-credentials) → 4000 credits/day vs 400 anonymous. The
+# clientId/clientSecret live in gitignored openskycredentials.json; a 30-min
+# bearer token is fetched on demand and cached. If the file is absent or auth
+# fails, we simply fetch anonymously (graceful fallback).
+OPENSKY_CREDS = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "openskycredentials.json"
+OPENSKY_TOKEN_URL = ("https://auth.opensky-network.org/auth/realms/"
+                     "opensky-network/protocol/openid-connect/token")
+_opensky_token = {"value": None, "exp": 0.0}
+
 # ---- Historical replay (record.py writes this db; dev-only) -----------------
 # GET history/aircraft?t=<epoch_s> returns the nearest recorded snapshot within
 # ±10 min, or 404. Prod has no recorder → the file is absent → graceful 404.
@@ -64,6 +73,35 @@ def opensky_cache_file():
     return Path(override if override else "~/.cache/godverse/opensky-states.json").expanduser()
 
 
+def opensky_bearer():
+    # A valid access token (refreshed ~1 min before expiry), or None if creds are
+    # missing/auth fails → caller fetches anonymously.
+    try:
+        d = json.loads(OPENSKY_CREDS.read_text())
+        cid, csec = d.get("clientId"), d.get("clientSecret")
+    except (OSError, ValueError):
+        return None
+    if not cid or not csec:
+        return None
+    now = time.time()
+    if _opensky_token["value"] and now < _opensky_token["exp"]:
+        return _opensky_token["value"]
+    try:
+        data = urllib.parse.urlencode({
+            "grant_type": "client_credentials", "client_id": cid, "client_secret": csec,
+        }).encode()
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            OPENSKY_TOKEN_URL, data=data,
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"})
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=15) as r:
+            tok = json.loads(r.read())
+        _opensky_token["value"] = tok["access_token"]
+        _opensky_token["exp"] = now + max(60, int(tok.get("expires_in", 1800)) - 60)
+        return _opensky_token["value"]
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
 def has_bbox(query):
     # A global states/all request has no bounding-box params; only those bypass the cache.
     q = query.lower()
@@ -150,8 +188,13 @@ class Handler(SimpleHTTPRequestHandler):
                 if hdrs.get(k) is not None:
                     passthrough[k] = hdrs.get(k)
 
+        req_headers = {"User-Agent": "godsigh-dev/0.1"}
+        if name == "opensky":
+            tok = opensky_bearer()  # authenticated → 4000/day; None → anonymous 400/day
+            if tok:
+                req_headers["Authorization"] = "Bearer " + tok
         try:
-            req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={"User-Agent": "godsigh-dev/0.1"})
+            req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers=req_headers)
             with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=45) as r:
                 body = r.read()
                 status, ctype = r.status, r.headers.get("Content-Type", "text/plain")