Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW / KDTW) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Detroit, United States of America
Detroit
DTW/KDTW
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:03 local
- Active runway
- 04R / 03R / 04L
- METAR wind
- 90° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 04R - sunny side
- Sun
- 210° / 30°
Wind vector · +1 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 2h 53m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KDTW flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Detroit (DTW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR90° @ 3 kt
17°C · 10+ sm · 1027 hPa
BKN065 OVC200
Golden hour in 2h 53m
Runway alerts for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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 DTW, 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 04R - sunny side Runway 04R | 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. |
| Short final 03R - sunny side Runway 03R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 04R / 03R / 04L · Dep 04R / 03R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04R | 29° | 12,003 ft | +1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Both |
| 22L | 209° | 12,003 ft | -1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 03R | 29° | 10,001 ft | +1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Both |
| 21L | 209° | 10,001 ft | -1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 29° | 10,000 ft | +1.4 kt | 2.6 kt | Landing |
| 22R | 209° | 10,000 ft | -1.4 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 09L | 89° | 8,708 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
| 27R | 269° | 8,708 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
| 03L | 29° | 8,501 ft | +1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 21R | 209° | 8,501 ft | -1.5 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
| 09R | 89° | 8,500 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
| 27L | 269° | 8,500 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Detroit (KDTW)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.400 | Published |
| Approach | 118.575 | Published |
| Departure | 118.575 | Published |
| Ground | 119.250 | Published |
| Delivery | 120.650 | Published |
| ATIS | 133.675 | 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 Detroit (DTW/KDTW)
Which runway is active at Detroit (DTW/KDTW) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 04R+03R+04L, departure 04R+03R. The METAR wind is 90° at 3 kt. 04R shows +1.5 kt headwind and 2.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 27L, 09R, 27R, 09L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Detroit (DTW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and -1° elevation. Short final 04R - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 04R, view bearing 359.7°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 224° and 24°. Short final 04R - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 58.2° 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW/KDTW) 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 04R - sunny side, Short final 03R - 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 KDTW spotting locations?
KDTW spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04R - sunny side (runway 04R) 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. Short final 03R - sunny side (runway 03R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Detroit (DTW)?
Short final 04R - sunny side is 1233 m from the 04R 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 Detroit (KDTW)?
Monitor Tower 118.4 MHz, Ground 119.25 MHz, Approach 118.575 MHz, ATIS 133.675 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 118.4 MHz.
How do I know when Detroit (DTW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 90° at 3 kt, so 04R 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/KDTW#runway-alerts