Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT / KCLT) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Charlotte, United States of America
Charlotte
CLT/KCLT
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 20:16 local
- Active runway
- 01R / 01L / 36
- METAR wind
- 100° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 01R - sunny side
- Sun
- 269° / -21°
D-ATIS · +1 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Charlotte (CLT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR100° @ 3 kt
19°C · 10+ sm · 1026 hPa
CLR
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Charlotte Douglas 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 CLT, 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 01R - sunny side Runway 01R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 01L - sunny side Runway 01L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01R / 01L / 36 · Dep 01R / 01L / 36
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01R | 176° | 10,000 ft | +0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Both |
| 19L | 356° | 10,000 ft | -0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 01L | 176° | 9,000 ft | +0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Both |
| 19R | 356° | 9,000 ft | -0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 18 | 176° | 8,676 ft | +0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 36 | 356° | 8,676 ft | -0.7 kt | 2.9 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Charlotte (KCLT)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 121.350 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.600 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.150 | Published |
| ATIS | 121.150 | 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 Charlotte (CLT/KCLT)
Which runway is active at Charlotte (CLT/KCLT) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 01R+01L+36. The METAR wind is 100° at 3 kt. 01R shows +0.7 kt headwind and 2.9 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Charlotte (CLT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 01R - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 01R, view bearing 205.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 228° and 27°. Short final 01R - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 146.7° 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 Charlotte Douglas International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT/KCLT) 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 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 KCLT spotting locations?
KCLT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01R - sunny side (runway 01R) 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 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 01L - sunny side (runway 01L) 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 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Charlotte (CLT)?
Short final 01R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01R 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 Charlotte (KCLT)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, ATIS 121.15 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Charlotte (CLT) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 100° at 3 kt, so 01R 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/KCLT#runway-alerts