A Delta flight from New York's JFK airport managed to fly into San Juan, Puerto Rico, pull into the gate, and less than an hour later take off full of passengers - all while Hurricane Irma was bearing down on the island on Wednesday.

Delta flight status data show Flight 431 left JFK at 8.12am and arrived in San Juan at 12.01pm; Delta 302 left San Juan at 12.41pm and arrived in New York at 4.22pm.

Radar data of the plane's flight path offered a spectacular show for aviation enthusiasts who followed in real time as Delta Flight 431 headed south right into the dangerous storm before noon.

"Where others have turned back, Delta #DL431 presses on," tweeted the Flightradar24, which tracks air traffic in real time. According to the tracking data, the plane landed at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport at 11.58am and departed at 12.43pm as DL302.