Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF / KBUF) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Buffalo, United States of America
Buffalo Niagara
BUF/KBUF
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 19:36 local
- Active runway
- 05
- METAR wind
- 30° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05 - sunny side
- Sun
- 267° / -16°
D-ATIS · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when KBUF flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Buffalo Niagara (BUF) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR30° @ 7 kt
9°C · 10+ sm · 1029 hPa
FEW270
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Buffalo Niagara 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 BUF, 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 05 - sunny side Runway 05 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05 · Dep 05 / 14
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 44° | 8,829 ft | +6.8 kt | 1.7 kt | Both |
| 23 | 224° | 8,829 ft | -6.8 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 127° | 7,161 ft | -0.8 kt | 7.0 kt | Departure |
| 32 | 307° | 7,161 ft | +0.8 kt | 7.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Buffalo Niagara (KBUF)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.500 | Published |
| Approach | 120.050 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.400 | Assigned |
| Ground | 133.200 | Published |
| Delivery | 124.700 | Published |
| ATIS | 135.350 | 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 Buffalo Niagara (BUF/KBUF)
Which runway is active at Buffalo Niagara (BUF/KBUF) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 05, departure 05+14. The METAR wind is 30° at 7 kt. 05 shows +6.8 kt headwind and 1.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Buffalo Niagara (BUF) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 2° elevation. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 05, view bearing 14.5°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 228° and 21°. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 73.0° 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 Buffalo Niagara International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF/KBUF) 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 05 - 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 KBUF spotting locations?
KBUF spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05 - sunny side (runway 05) 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 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Buffalo Niagara (BUF)?
Short final 05 - sunny side is 1233 m from the 05 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 Buffalo Niagara (KBUF)?
Monitor Tower 120.5 MHz, Ground 133.2 MHz, ATIS 135.35 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 120.5 MHz.
How do I know when Buffalo Niagara (BUF) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 30° at 7 kt, so 05 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/KBUF#runway-alerts