api-company/docs-site/src/pages/blog/air-quality-api.mdx

---
title: "Air Quality API: Real-Time AQI Data for Any Location"
description: "Access real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) data, PM2.5, PM10, and health recommendations for any city worldwide using the leeworks.dev Air Quality API."
date: "2026-05-24"
author: "leeworks.dev"
tags: ["air-quality", "aqi", "api", "tutorial"]
---

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# Air Quality API: Real-Time AQI Data for Any Location

Whether you're building a fitness app, a travel planner, or a smart home dashboard, air quality data is increasingly essential. The leeworks.dev **Air Quality API** gives you real-time AQI readings, pollutant breakdowns, and health recommendations for any location in the world.

## What Is AQI and Why Does Your App Need It?

The **Air Quality Index (AQI)** is a standardized scale (0–500) that communicates how clean or polluted the air is:

| AQI | Category | Health Implication |
|-----|----------|-------------------|
| 0–50 | Good | Air quality is satisfactory |
| 51–100 | Moderate | Acceptable for most people |
| 101–150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | At-risk groups may experience effects |
| 151–200 | Unhealthy | Everyone may begin to experience health effects |
| 201–300 | Very Unhealthy | Health alert: serious effects possible |
| 301–500 | Hazardous | Emergency conditions |

**Use cases for an AQI data API:**

- **Fitness apps** — warn runners when outdoor exercise is unsafe
- **Travel apps** — show air quality forecasts for destination cities
- **Real estate platforms** — display neighborhood air quality scores
- **Smart home apps** — trigger air purifiers based on outdoor AQI
- **Health tracking apps** — correlate symptoms with air quality data
- **News and weather apps** — add AQI to daily weather cards

## Quick Start

```bash
# Get current AQI for a city
curl "https://aqi.leeworks.dev/v1/current?city=Los+Angeles&country=US" \
  -H "X-RapidAPI-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

Response:
```json
{
  "location": {
    "city": "Los Angeles",
    "country": "US",
    "latitude": 34.0522,
    "longitude": -118.2437
  },
  "aqi": 87,
  "category": "Moderate",
  "pollutants": {
    "pm25": 22.4,
    "pm10": 35.1,
    "o3": 41.2,
    "no2": 18.5,
    "so2": 2.1,
    "co": 0.4
  },
  "health_recommendation": "Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.",
  "updated_at": "2026-05-24T14:30:00Z"
}
```

## By Coordinates (Lat/Long)

```bash
curl "https://aqi.leeworks.dev/v1/current?lat=48.8566&lon=2.3522" \
  -H "X-RapidAPI-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

## Code Examples

### JavaScript

```javascript
async function getAirQuality(city, country = 'US') {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://aqi.leeworks.dev/v1/current?city=${encodeURIComponent(city)}&country=${country}`,
    { headers: { 'X-RapidAPI-Key': process.env.RAPIDAPI_KEY } }
  );
  return response.json();
}

const data = await getAirQuality('Denver');
if (data.aqi > 100) {
  console.warn(`Air quality in ${data.location.city} is ${data.category}. Consider staying indoors.`);
}
```

### Python

```python
import httpx

def get_aqi(lat: float, lon: float) -> dict:
    resp = httpx.get(
        "https://aqi.leeworks.dev/v1/current",
        params={"lat": lat, "lon": lon},
        headers={"X-RapidAPI-Key": "YOUR_KEY"},
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()

# Example: check AQI before recommending outdoor run
aqi_data = get_aqi(37.7749, -122.4194)  # San Francisco
if aqi_data["aqi"] <= 100:
    print("Good to go for a run!")
else:
    print(f"Air quality is {aqi_data['category']} — consider indoor exercise.")
```

### React Hook

```tsx
import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

interface AQIData {
  aqi: number;
  category: string;
  health_recommendation: string;
}

export function useAirQuality(city: string) {
  const [data, setData] = useState<AQIData | null>(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  useEffect(() => {
    fetch(`/api/aqi?city=${encodeURIComponent(city)}`)
      .then(r => r.json())
      .then(setData)
      .finally(() => setLoading(false));
  }, [city]);

  return { data, loading };
}
```

## Data Source

The leeworks.dev Air Quality API aggregates data from the **OpenAQ** public dataset — a non-profit platform that collects open air quality data from government agencies worldwide. Data is refreshed hourly.

## Pricing

| Plan | Requests/mo | Price |
|------|------------|-------|
| Free | 500 | $0 |
| Basic | 10,000 | $9/mo |
| Pro | 100,000 | $19/mo |
| Ultra | 1,000,000 | $49/mo |

**[Subscribe on RapidAPI →](https://rapidapi.com/leeworks/api/air-quality)**

## Conclusion

Air quality is no longer a niche data point — it's a critical health metric that millions of people check daily. The leeworks.dev **AQI data API** gives your app real-time air quality readings, pollutant breakdowns, and actionable health recommendations with a simple REST interface.

**[Start building for free →](https://rapidapi.com/leeworks/api/air-quality)**

</article>
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