On this website we concentrate on spotting tips for airliners, not spotting tips for individual locations and airports. There are dozens of excellent websites dedicated to helping spotters find the perfect location for the best photos at any time of the day. In addition, many major airports around the world offer observation decks, terraces and parks which offer easy, safe airliner spotting.
Listed below are some of our favorite airport spotting resources.
General Spotting Info | Website |
Various Airports | SpotterGuide.net |
Airport Spotting | AirportSpotting.com |
Plane Spotting Hotels | Plane-Spotting-Hotels.com |
Thirty Thousand Feet | ThirtyThousandFeet.com |
Fresh Aviation Data | Fresh Aviation + Fleet Data |
News & Photos | Aviation News, Photography, Events |
SpottingLog | Online Spotting Log & Database |
USA Airports | Website |
DFW Airport | |
Houston, Texas | HoustonSpotters.net |
New York | NYCPlaneSpotting |
LAX & Southern California | SoCalSpotters.net |
Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix Spotters on Facebook |
European Airports | Website |
London Heathrow | Heathrow.com London Heathrow (LHR) Daily Movements |
Birmingham | Birmingham Airport (BHX) Daily Movements |
Luton | London Luton Airport (LTN) Daily Movements |
Cotswold | Cotswold Airport Spotting |
Bristol | Bristol Airport Spotting |
Farnborough | Farnborough Airport (FAB) Daily Movements |
Paris Charles de Gaulle | Paris Airport Spotting |
Prague Airport | Viewing Terrace - The terrace can be found in the public zone of the departure lounge of Terminal 2, in front of the entrance to the building connecting it to Terminal 1, or in the public zone of Terminal 1, entrance via the Restaurace Praha restaurant. |
Paris Orly | Paris-Orly Aeroport - Information, history, companies, airplanes, photos, etc.![]() |
Frankfurt, Germany | Frankfurt Airport (FRA) |
Zurich | Zurich Airport (ZRH) |
Japan & Australia Airports | Website |
Tokyo, Japan Narita Intl | Tokyo Airport (NRT) Spotting |
Sydney | Sydney Airport (SYD) |
Have a site to add? We are also looking for photo resources for publication on this site. Contact Us
Shown below are some popular, publicly-accessible spotting sights around major airports.
LAX plane spotting at the In-N-Out Burger, 9149 S. Supulveda Boulevard, in Los Angeles |
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Shep's Mound plane spotters lookout at the Sydney Airport. It features two raised platforms overlooking the airfield, expansive grassed areas, undercover shelter and dedicated car parking. Details at the Sydney Airport website |
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Tokyo's Narita Airport offers observation decks in Terminal 1 (5th floor) and Terminal 2 (4th floor) . Details, times and maps at the Narita Airport website |
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Entrance area at Founders' Plaza Airport Observation Area at the north side of the DFW Airport in Grapevine, Texas Details about DFW Founders' Plaza |
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Founders' Plaza operated by the DFW International Airport Board |
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Founders' Plaza at DFW Airport ... the area features ample free parking, covered picnic tables and live ATC broadcasts ... plus these playful sculptures! |
An American Airlines Boeing 777 on final approach seen from Founders' Plaza |
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American Airlines Airbus A321-231, Registration N150NN, at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Delivered on November 14, 2015. Airbus Construction Number 6828. AA Fleet Number 882. (Staff Photo, July, 2021) |
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Larry Berg Flight Path Park at YVR Airport, Vancouver, British Columbia |
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Larry Berg Flight Path Park at YVR Airport in Vancouver |
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The transit zone of Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1 now offers a roof terrace. Besides fresh air, it boasts a spectacular view of the bustling activity at Germany’s largest aviation hub: ground handling, takeoffs and landings. Covering an area of 138 square meters, the Open Air Deck is well worth a visit. It can be accessed by all passengers in the non-Schengen zone. |
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Terminal 2 Terminal 3 Terminal 4 Terminal 5 Heathrow Academy Details about spectator areas at the Heathrow Airport website |
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Observation Deck B at the Zurich Airport, one of Switzerland’s most popular excursion destinations, attracting 300,000 visitors a year. Details at the Zurich Airport website |
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Vilnius Aiport in Lithuania has opened a new plane spooting area where you can watch and photograph aircraft. A convenient location for the site, which is raised above the ground and also be accessible to the disabled, is set up next to the Salininkai Gardens, right behind the fence of Vilnius Airport, where everyone can enter. The location of the site was chosen considering both the technical capabilities and the best view for its visitors as airplanes ascend and descend very close to the site. The site consists of two parts: an underground and an elevated part specially adapted for the needs of photographers; yet, it is also good for simply watching the aircrafts. A shelter and benches have been set up in the site, and next to it is a car parking lot. |
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The SkyTerrace is an outdoor observation deck at San Franisco International Airport in California. Located pre-security in Terminal 2, The SkyTerrace is open seven days a week from 7 AM – 10 PM. Access is free and no ticket or boarding pass is required, but visitors will undergo a security check as they enter the space. Details at the SFO Airport website |
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