George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH / KIAH) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Houston, United States of America
Houston Intercontinental
IAH/KIAH
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:29 local
- Active runway
- 15L / 15R
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 15L - sunny side
- Sun
- 237° / 25°
D-ATIS · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 1h 38m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KIAH flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Houston Intercontinental (IAH) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 4 kt
23°C · 10+ sm · 1021 hPa
FEW020 FEW075 BKN170 OVC250
Golden hour in 1h 38m
Runway alerts for George Bush Intercontinental 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 IAH, 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 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 10:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 15R - sunny side Runway 15R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 10:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 15L / 15R · Dep 15L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 152° | 12,001 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 33R | 332° | 12,001 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 90° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 270° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 152° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing |
| 33L | 332° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 9,402 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 26L | 270° | 9,402 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 08L | 90° | 9,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 26R | 270° | 9,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Houston Intercontinental (KIAH)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.725 | Published |
| Approach | 120.050 | Published |
| Departure | 119.700 | Published |
| Ground | 118.575 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.100 | Published |
| ATIS | 124.050 | 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 Houston Intercontinental (IAH/KIAH)
Which runway is active at Houston Intercontinental (IAH/KIAH) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 15L+15R, departure 15L. The METAR wind is variable at 4 kt. 15L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Houston Intercontinental (IAH) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 15L, view bearing 181.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 30°. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 71/100 on a 181.2° 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 George Bush Intercontinental Airport?
The best time to plane spot at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH/KIAH) 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 KIAH spotting locations?
KIAH spotting locations sun direction: Short final 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) 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: 10:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 15R - sunny side (runway 15R) 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: 10:00. Avoid 12:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Houston Intercontinental (IAH)?
Short final 15L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 15L 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 Houston Intercontinental (KIAH)?
Monitor Tower 120.725 MHz, Ground 118.575 MHz, Approach 120.05 MHz, ATIS 124.05 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 120.725 MHz.
How do I know when Houston Intercontinental (IAH) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 4 kt, so 15L 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/KIAH#runway-alerts