Which runway is active at Newark (EWR/KEWR) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 22L, departure 22R. The METAR wind is 270° at 9 kt. 22L shows +3.9 kt headwind and 8.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 11, 29.
Newark, United States of America
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR / KEWR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Live METAR wind (270° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 22L, departure 22R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Newark Liberty International Airport.
D-ATIS CONFIRMED$3/mo runway-shift alerts
Which runway is active at Newark (EWR) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 22L, departure 22R. The METAR wind is 270° at 9 kt. 22L shows +3.9 kt headwind and 8.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 11, 29. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 17:36.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04L | 26° | 11,000 ft | -3.9 kt | 8.1 kt | Standby |
| 22R | 206° | 11,000 ft | +3.9 kt | 8.1 kt | Departure |
| 04R | 26° | 9,999 ft | -3.9 kt | 8.1 kt | Standby |
| 22L | 206° | 9,999 ft | +3.9 kt | 8.1 kt | Landing |
| 11 | 95° | 6,725 ft | -9.0 kt | 0.8 kt | Closed |
| 29 | 275° | 6,725 ft | +9.0 kt | 0.8 kt | Closed |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 330° at 9 kt, favoring 04L+04R in about 3.4 hours.
D-ATIS U · landing 22L, departure 22R
EWR ATIS INFO U 2051Z. 28009KT 10SM FEW120 FEW250 22/04 A3013 (THREE ZERO ONE THREE). ILS RWY 22L APCH IN USE. DEPARTING RY 22R FROM INT W 10,150 FEET TODA. RWY 11/29 CLSD. USE CAUTION FOR BIRDS AND CRANES IN THE VICINITY OF EWR. READBACK ALL RUNWAY HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS AND ASSIGNED ALT. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO U.
METAR KEWR 262051Z 27009KT 10SM FEW120 FEW250 22/04 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP202 T02220044 56015 $
SIDE/CROSS LIGHT
Live weather
VFR270° @ 9 kt
22°C · 10+ SM · 1020 hPa
FEW120 FEW250
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Mon 26 Oct, 17:36Az 250° · El 4°Evening golden hour now, sunset in 26 min
+0h local
Best Newark (EWR) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 22L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 76/100
Short final 22L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 22L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 176.8°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 15:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
1234 m to centerline176.8° view bearingBest sun: Midday 15:00150-600mmNow: Side light
Google Maps navigationClimb-out 22R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 42/100
Climb-out 22R - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 04L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 31.9°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 14:00–15:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km beyond the far end of the departure runway, offset 280 m to the sunny side of the climb.
1233 m to centerline31.9° view bearingBest sun: Afternoon 14:00–15:00150-600mmNow: Frontlit
Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip
Know a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot
Best time to plane spot at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR / KEWR): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 40.689, longitude -74.171, and the America/New_York clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 22L - sunny side Runway 22L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Climb-out 22R - sunny side Runway 22R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Newark (KEWR)
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.3 MHz. D-ATIS is 115.7 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 22L, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gear
Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Newark (EWR/KEWR)
Where is the best place to plane spot at Newark (EWR) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 22L, view bearing 235.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 20°. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 72/100 on a 176.8° 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 Newark Liberty International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR/KEWR) 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: Climb-out 22R - 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 KEWR spotting locations?
KEWR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 22L - sunny side (runway 22L) is SIDE LIGHT 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: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. Climb-out 22R - sunny side (runway 22R) 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 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Newark (EWR)?
Short final 22L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 22L 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 Newark (KEWR)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 127.6 MHz, ATIS 115.7 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Newark (EWR) switches active runways?
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 330° at 9 kt, favoring 04L+04R in about 3.4 hours. 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/KEWR#runway-alerts
Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo
Get a Telegram ping when Newark Liberty International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.