Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ / KABQ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Albuquerque, United States of America
Albuquerque Sunport
ABQ/KABQ
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:45 local
- Active runway
- 08
- METAR wind
- 180° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 08 - sunny side
- Sun
- 240° / 17°
D-ATIS · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 58m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KABQ flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR180° @ 6 kt
20°C · 10+ sm · 1021 hPa
FEW070
Golden hour in 58m
Runway alerts for Albuquerque International Sunport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at ABQ, 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 08 - sunny side Runway 08 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 08 · Dep 08
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 90° | 13,793 ft | +0.0 kt | 6.0 kt | Both |
| 26 | 270° | 13,793 ft | +0.0 kt | 6.0 kt | Standby |
| 03 | 45° | 10,000 ft | -4.2 kt | 4.2 kt | Standby |
| 21 | 225° | 10,000 ft | +4.2 kt | 4.2 kt | Standby |
| 12 | 129° | 6,000 ft | +3.8 kt | 4.7 kt | Standby |
| 30 | 309° | 6,000 ft | -3.8 kt | 4.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Albuquerque Sunport (KABQ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.300 | Published |
| Tower | 123.775 | Published |
| Approach | 123.900 | Published |
| Departure | 123.900 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 119.200 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.000 | 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 Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ/KABQ)
Which runway is active at Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ/KABQ) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 08. The METAR wind is 180° at 6 kt. 08 shows +0.0 kt headwind and 6.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 08, view bearing 60.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 24°. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 60.7° 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 Albuquerque International Sunport?
The best time to plane spot at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ/KABQ) 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 08 - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 1 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 KABQ spotting locations?
KABQ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 08 - sunny side (runway 08) 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 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ)?
Short final 08 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08 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 Albuquerque Sunport (KABQ)?
Monitor Tower 120.3 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 123.9 MHz, ATIS 118.0 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 120.3 MHz.
How do I know when Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 180° at 6 kt, so 08 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/KABQ#runway-alerts