Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS / KAUS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Austin, United States of America
Austin Bergstrom
AUS/KAUS
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:50 local
- Active runway
- 18L
- METAR wind
- 140° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 18L - sunny side
- Sun
- 227° / 33°
D-ATIS · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 2h 26m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KAUS flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Austin Bergstrom (AUS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR140° @ 4 kt
27°C · 10+ sm · 1020 hPa
FEW050 SCT085 BKN200
Golden hour in 2h 26m
Runway alerts for Austin Bergstrom 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 AUS, 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 18L - sunny side Runway 18L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 18L · Dep 18L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18R | 179° | 12,250 ft | +3.1 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 36L | 359° | 12,250 ft | -3.1 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 179° | 9,000 ft | +3.1 kt | 2.5 kt | Both |
| 36R | 359° | 9,000 ft | -3.1 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Austin Bergstrom (KAUS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 121.000 | Published |
| Approach | 121.025 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.750 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 125.500 | Published |
| ATIS | 124.400 | 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 Austin Bergstrom (AUS/KAUS)
Which runway is active at Austin Bergstrom (AUS/KAUS) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 18L. The METAR wind is 140° at 4 kt. 18L shows +3.1 kt headwind and 2.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Austin Bergstrom (AUS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 81/100, 1234 m from runway 18L, view bearing 208.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 229° and 31°. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 149.7° 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 Austin Bergstrom International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS/KAUS) 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 KAUS spotting locations?
KAUS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 18L - sunny side (runway 18L) 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 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Austin Bergstrom (AUS)?
Short final 18L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 18L 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 Austin Bergstrom (KAUS)?
Monitor Tower 121.0 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 124.4 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 121.0 MHz.
How do I know when Austin Bergstrom (AUS) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 140° at 4 kt, so 18L 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/KAUS#runway-alerts