Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ / CYYZ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Toronto, Canada
Toronto Pearson
YYZ/CYYZ
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:46 local
- Active runway
- 15L / 15R
- METAR wind
- 150° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 15L - sunny side
- Sun
- 248° / 4°
Wind vector · +6 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 32 min
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Best Toronto Pearson (YYZ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR150° @ 6 kt
10°C · 10+ sm · 1030 hPa
FEW260
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 32 min
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 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 15R - sunny side Runway 15R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 15L / 15R · Dep 15L / 15R
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 shifts the wind to 70° at 5 kt, favoring 05+06L+06R in about 2.2 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 47° | 11,120 ft | -1.3 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 23 | 227° | 11,120 ft | +1.3 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 15L | 137° | 11,050 ft | +5.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Both |
| 33R | 317° | 11,050 ft | -5.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Standby |
| 06L | 47° | 9,697 ft | -1.3 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 24R | 227° | 9,697 ft | +1.3 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 137° | 9,088 ft | +5.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Both |
| 33L | 317° | 9,088 ft | -5.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Standby |
| 06R | 47° | 9,000 ft | -1.3 kt | 5.8 kt | Standby |
| 24L | 227° | 9,000 ft | +1.3 kt | 5.8 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, 17:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15L+15R. The METAR wind is 150° at 6 kt. 15L shows +5.8 kt headwind and 1.3 kt crosswind from the right. 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 15L - sunny side scores 73/100, 1234 m from runway 15L, view bearing 166.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 227° and 21°. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 107.7° 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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 15R - sunny side (runway 15R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Toronto Pearson (YYZ)?
Short final 15L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 15L 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?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 shifts the wind to 70° at 5 kt, favoring 05+06L+06R in about 2.2 hours. 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