Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ / CYYZ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Toronto, Canada
Toronto Pearson
YYZ/CYYZ
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 06:01 local
- Active runway
- 05 / 06L / 06R
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05 - sunny side
- Sun
- 89° / -20°
Wind vector · +5 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 1h 48m
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Best Toronto Pearson (YYZ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 5 kt
4°C · 10+ sm · 1029 hPa
SCT120
Sunrise in 1h 48m
Runway alerts for Toronto Pearson International Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at YYZ, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 05 - sunny side Runway 05 | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 06L - sunny side Runway 06L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05 / 06L / 06R · Dep 05 / 06L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 47° | 11,120 ft | +5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
| 23 | 227° | 11,120 ft | -5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 15L | 137° | 11,050 ft | -0.6 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 33R | 317° | 11,050 ft | +0.6 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 06L | 47° | 9,697 ft | +5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
| 24R | 227° | 9,697 ft | -5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 137° | 9,088 ft | -0.6 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 33L | 317° | 9,088 ft | +0.6 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 06R | 47° | 9,000 ft | +5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Landing |
| 24L | 227° | 9,000 ft | -5.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Toronto Pearson (CYYZ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.350 | Published |
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 124.475 | Published |
| Departure | 127.575 | Published |
| Ground | 119.100 | Published |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.300 | Published |
| ATIS | 112.150 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Toronto Pearson (YYZ/CYYZ)
Which runway is active at Toronto Pearson (YYZ/CYYZ) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 05:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 05+06L+06R, departure 05+06L. The METAR wind is 40° at 5 kt. 05 shows +5.0 kt headwind and 0.6 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 109° azimuth and 1° elevation. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 79/100, 1234 m from runway 05, view bearing 17.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 227° and 21°. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 90/100 on a 17.7° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Toronto Pearson International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ/CYYZ) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 05 - sunny side, Short final 06L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at CYYZ spotting locations?
CYYZ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05 - sunny side (runway 05) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 06L - sunny side (runway 06L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Toronto Pearson (YYZ)?
Short final 05 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05 centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Toronto Pearson (CYYZ)?
Monitor Tower 118.35 MHz, Ground 119.1 MHz, Approach 124.475 MHz, ATIS 112.15 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.35 MHz.
How do I know when Toronto Pearson (YYZ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 40° at 5 kt, so 05 remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/CYYZ#runway-alerts