Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL / KATL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Atlanta, United States of America
Atlanta
ATL/KATL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:40 local
- Active runway
- 09L
- METAR wind
- 80° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 09L - sunny side
- Sun
- 245° / 13°
D-ATIS · +6 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 37m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KATL flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Atlanta (ATL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR80° @ 6 kt
23°C · 10+ sm · 1024 hPa
FEW250
Golden hour in 37m
Runway alerts for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta 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 ATL, 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 09L - sunny side Runway 09L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 09L · Dep 09L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09L | 90° | 12,390 ft | +5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Both |
| 27R | 270° | 12,390 ft | -5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 9,999 ft | +5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 26L | 270° | 9,999 ft | -5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 08L | 90° | 9,000 ft | +5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 26R | 270° | 9,000 ft | -5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 09R | 90° | 9,000 ft | +5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 27L | 270° | 9,000 ft | -5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 10 | 90° | 9,000 ft | +5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 270° | 9,000 ft | -5.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Atlanta (KATL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.100 | Published |
| Approach | 127.900 | Published |
| Approach | 128.000 | Published |
| Departure | 121.225 | Published |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.100 | Published |
| ATIS | 119.650 | 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 Atlanta (ATL/KATL)
Which runway is active at Atlanta (ATL/KATL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 09L. The METAR wind is 80° at 6 kt. 09L shows +5.9 kt headwind and 1.0 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Atlanta (ATL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and 1° elevation. Short final 09L - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 09L, view bearing 119.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 226° and 30°. Short final 09L - sunny side scores 82/100 on a 119.2° 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 Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL/KATL) 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 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 KATL spotting locations?
KATL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 09L - sunny side (runway 09L) 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: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Atlanta (ATL)?
Short final 09L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 09L 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 Atlanta (KATL)?
Monitor Tower 119.1 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, Approach 127.9 MHz, ATIS 119.65 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 119.1 MHz.
How do I know when Atlanta (ATL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 80° at 6 kt, so 09L 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/KATL#runway-alerts