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, 17:58 local
- Active runway
- 09 / 08R / 08L
- METAR wind
- 70° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 08R - sunny side
- Sun
- 250° / 8°
D-ATIS · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 9m
Sweet spotWant 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
VFR70° @ 4 kt
22°C · 10+ sm · 1020 hPa
FEW022 BKN150 BKN180 OVC250
Golden hour in 9m
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 08R - sunny side Runway 08R | 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 09 - sunny side Runway 09 | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Climb-out 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 09 / 08R / 08L · Dep 15L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 152° | 12,001 ft | +0.6 kt | 4.0 kt | Departure |
| 33R | 332° | 12,001 ft | -0.6 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 90° | 10,000 ft | +3.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Landing |
| 27 | 270° | 10,000 ft | -3.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 152° | 10,000 ft | +0.6 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 33L | 332° | 10,000 ft | -0.6 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 9,402 ft | +3.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Landing |
| 26L | 270° | 9,402 ft | -3.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 08L | 90° | 9,000 ft | +3.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Landing |
| 26R | 270° | 9,000 ft | -3.8 kt | 1.4 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, 18:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09+08R+08L, departure 15L. The METAR wind is 70° at 4 kt. 09 shows +3.8 kt headwind and 1.4 kt crosswind from the left. 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 08R - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 08R, view bearing 60.6°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 30°. Short final 08R - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 60.6° 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 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: Climb-out 15L - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 08R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 3 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 08R - sunny side (runway 08R) 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 09 - sunny side (runway 09) is BACKLIT / GLARE 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: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. Climb-out 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Houston Intercontinental (IAH)?
Short final 08R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08R 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 70° at 4 kt, so 09 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