Boston Logan International Airport (BOS / KBOS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Boston, United States of America
Boston Logan
BOS/KBOS
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:05 local
- Active runway
- 15R / 14
- METAR wind
- 110° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 14 - sunny side
- Sun
- 247° / 6°
Wind vector · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 1m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KBOS flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Boston Logan (BOS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR110° @ 4 kt
11°C · 10+ sm · 1028 hPa
FEW250
Golden hour in 1m
Runway alerts for Boston Logan 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 BOS, 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 14 - sunny side Runway 14 | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 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 08:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 15R / 14 · Dep 15R / 14
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 220° at 5 kt, favoring 22L+22R in about 3.9 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15R | 135° | 10,083 ft | +3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Both |
| 33L | 315° | 10,083 ft | -3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
| 04R | 20° | 10,006 ft | +0.0 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 22L | 200° | 10,006 ft | +0.0 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 20° | 7,864 ft | +0.0 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 22R | 200° | 7,864 ft | +0.0 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 77° | 7,001 ft | +3.4 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 257° | 7,001 ft | -3.4 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 125° | 5,000 ft | +3.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Both |
| 32 | 305° | 5,000 ft | -3.9 kt | 1.0 kt | Standby |
| 15L | 135° | 2,557 ft | +3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
| 33R | 315° | 2,557 ft | -3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Boston Logan (KBOS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 128.800 | Published |
| Tower | 132.225 | Published |
| Approach | 118.250 | Published |
| Departure | 133.000 | Published |
| Ground | 121.750 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.650 | Published |
| ATIS | 135.000 | 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 Boston Logan (BOS/KBOS)
Which runway is active at Boston Logan (BOS/KBOS) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15R+14. The METAR wind is 110° at 4 kt. 15R shows +3.6 kt headwind and 1.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Boston Logan (BOS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 115° azimuth and 8° elevation. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 69/100, 1234 m from runway 14, view bearing 154.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 234° and 17°. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 88/100 on a 95.7° 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 Boston Logan International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS/KBOS) 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 14 - sunny side. 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 KBOS spotting locations?
KBOS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 14 - sunny side (runway 14) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 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 08:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Boston Logan (BOS)?
Short final 14 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 14 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 Boston Logan (KBOS)?
Monitor Tower 128.8 MHz, Ground 121.75 MHz, Approach 118.25 MHz, ATIS 135.0 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 128.8 MHz.
How do I know when Boston Logan (BOS) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 220° at 5 kt, favoring 22L+22R in about 3.9 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/KBOS#runway-alerts