Denver International Airport (DEN / KDEN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Denver, United States of America
Denver
DEN/KDEN
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:10 local
- Active runway
- 07
- METAR wind
- 90° @ 16 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 07 - sunny side
- Sun
- 234° / 19°
D-ATIS · +16 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 1h 16m
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Best Denver (DEN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR90° @ 16 kt
17°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
FEW100 SCT220
Golden hour in 1h 16m
Runway alerts for Denver 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 DEN, 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 07 - sunny side Runway 07 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 07 · Dep 07
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16R | 181° | 16,000 ft | -0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 34L | 1° | 16,000 ft | +0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 07 | 91° | 12,000 ft | +16.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Both |
| 25 | 271° | 12,000 ft | -16.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
| 08 | 91° | 12,000 ft | +16.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 271° | 12,000 ft | -16.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
| 16L | 181° | 12,000 ft | -0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 34R | 1° | 12,000 ft | +0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 17L | 181° | 12,000 ft | -0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 35R | 1° | 12,000 ft | +0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 17R | 181° | 12,000 ft | -0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 1° | 12,000 ft | +0.1 kt | 16.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Denver (KDEN)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 124.300 | Published |
| Approach | 119.300 | Published |
| Departure | 126.100 | Published |
| Ground | 121.850 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.750 | Published |
| ATIS | 125.600 | 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 Denver (DEN/KDEN)
Which runway is active at Denver (DEN/KDEN) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 07. The METAR wind is 90° at 16 kt. 07 shows +16.0 kt headwind and 0.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Denver (DEN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 07 - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 07, view bearing 61.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 20°. Short final 07 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 61.2° 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 Denver International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Denver International Airport (DEN/KDEN) 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 07 - 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 KDEN spotting locations?
KDEN spotting locations sun direction: Short final 07 - sunny side (runway 07) 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 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Denver (DEN)?
Short final 07 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 07 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 Denver (KDEN)?
Monitor Tower 124.3 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, Approach 119.3 MHz, ATIS 125.6 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 124.3 MHz.
How do I know when Denver (DEN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 90° at 16 kt, so 07 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/KDEN#runway-alerts