Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN / ESSA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm Arlanda
ARN/ESSA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 23:56 local
- Active runway
- 19R / 19L
- METAR wind
- 170° @ 11 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 19R - sunny side
- Sun
- 8° / -43°
Wind vector · +10 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when ESSA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR170° @ 11 kt
10°C · 10+ km · 1013 hPa
OVC041
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Stockholm-Arlanda 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 ARN, 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 19R - sunny side Runway 19R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 19L - sunny side Runway 19L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 19R / 19L · Dep 19R / 19L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01L | 10° | 10,830 ft | -10.3 kt | 3.8 kt | Standby |
| 19R | 190° | 10,830 ft | +10.3 kt | 3.8 kt | Both |
| 08 | 76° | 8,202 ft | -0.8 kt | 11.0 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 256° | 8,202 ft | +0.8 kt | 11.0 kt | Standby |
| 01R | 10° | 8,201 ft | -10.3 kt | 3.8 kt | Standby |
| 19L | 190° | 8,201 ft | +10.3 kt | 3.8 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Stockholm Arlanda (ESSA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.500 | Published |
| Approach | 123.750 | Published |
| Departure | 125.750 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.825 | Published |
| ATIS | 119.000 | 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 Stockholm Arlanda (ARN/ESSA)
Which runway is active at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN/ESSA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 19R+19L. The METAR wind is 170° at 11 kt. 19R shows +10.3 kt headwind and 3.8 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 128° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 19R - sunny side scores 79/100, 1234 m from runway 19R, view bearing 219.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 0°. Short final 19R - sunny side scores 66/100 on a 160.7° 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 Stockholm-Arlanda Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN/ESSA) 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 ESSA spotting locations?
ESSA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 19R - sunny side (runway 19R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 19L - sunny side (runway 19L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN)?
Short final 19R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 19R 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 Stockholm Arlanda (ESSA)?
Monitor Tower 118.5 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 123.75 MHz, ATIS 119.0 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 118.5 MHz.
How do I know when Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 170° at 11 kt, so 19R 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/ESSA#runway-alerts