Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW / KDFW) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Dallas-Fort Worth, United States of America
Dallas Fort Worth
DFW/KDFW
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:53 local
- Active runway
- 17C
- METAR wind
- 170° @ 8 kt G16
- Best spot
- Short final 17C - sunny side
- Sun
- 239° / 20°
D-ATIS · +8 kt headwind
VFR
Backlit
Golden hour in 1h 16m
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Best Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR170° @ 8 kt G16
28°C · 10+ sm · 1019 hPa
FEW060 FEW170 FEW250
Golden hour in 1h 16m
Runway alerts for Dallas Fort Worth 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 DFW, 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 17C - sunny side Runway 17C | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 17C · Dep 17C
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18L | 180° | 13,401 ft | +7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Closed |
| 36R | 0° | 13,401 ft | -7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 17C | 180° | 13,400 ft | +7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Both |
| 35C | 0° | 13,400 ft | -7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 17R | 180° | 13,400 ft | +7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 0° | 13,400 ft | -7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 180° | 13,400 ft | +7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 36L | 0° | 13,400 ft | -7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 13R | 139° | 9,300 ft | +6.9 kt | 4.1 kt | Standby |
| 31L | 319° | 9,300 ft | -6.9 kt | 4.1 kt | Standby |
| 13L | 135° | 9,000 ft | +6.6 kt | 4.6 kt | Standby |
| 31R | 315° | 9,000 ft | -6.6 kt | 4.6 kt | Standby |
| 17L | 180° | 8,500 ft | +7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 35R | 0° | 8,500 ft | -7.9 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Dallas Fort Worth (KDFW)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 124.150 | Published |
| Approach | 119.875 | Published |
| Departure | 118.550 | Published |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.250 | Published |
| ATIS | 123.775 | 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 Dallas Fort Worth (DFW/KDFW)
Which runway is active at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW/KDFW) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 17C. The METAR wind is 170° at 8 kt. 17C shows +7.9 kt headwind and 1.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 18L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 17C - sunny side scores 81/100, 1234 m from runway 17C, view bearing 209.6°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 228° and 29°. Short final 17C - sunny side scores 65/100 on a 209.6° 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 Dallas Fort Worth International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW/KDFW) 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 KDFW spotting locations?
KDFW spotting locations sun direction: Short final 17C - sunny side (runway 17C) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)?
Short final 17C - sunny side is 1234 m from the 17C 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 Dallas Fort Worth (KDFW)?
Monitor Tower 124.15 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, Approach 119.875 MHz, ATIS 123.775 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 124.15 MHz.
How do I know when Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 170° at 8 kt, so 17C 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/KDFW#runway-alerts