Los Angeles International Airport (LAX / KLAX) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Los Angeles, United States of America
Los Angeles
LAX/KLAX
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 14:52 local
- Active runway
- 25L / 24L
- METAR wind
- 260° @ 11 kt
- Best spot
- Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd
- Sun
- 220° / 33°
D-ATIS · +11 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 2h 40m
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Best Los Angeles (LAX) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR260° @ 11 kt
23°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
FEW010 FEW025
Golden hour in 2h 40m
Runway alerts for Los Angeles 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 LAX, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd Runway 25L, 25R | 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. |
| In-N-Out Sepulveda Runway 24R, 24L | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Clutter's Park Runway 25L, 24R, 07R, 06R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Dockweiler State Beach Runway 24R, 24L, 25L, 06L, 07L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 25L / 24L · Dep 25L / 24L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07L | 83° | 12,894 ft | -11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 25R | 263° | 12,894 ft | +11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 07R | 83° | 11,095 ft | -11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 25L | 263° | 11,095 ft | +11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
| 06R | 83° | 10,859 ft | -11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 24L | 263° | 10,859 ft | +11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
| 06L | 83° | 8,926 ft | -11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 24R | 263° | 8,926 ft | +11.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Los Angeles (KLAX)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.800 | Published |
| Approach | 124.300 | Published |
| Departure | 124.300 | Published |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.400 | Published |
| ATIS | 133.800 | 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 Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX)
Which runway is active at Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 25L+24L. The METAR wind is 260° at 11 kt. 25L shows +11.0 kt headwind and 0.6 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Los Angeles (LAX) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 9° elevation. Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd scores 81/100, 531 m from runway 25L, view bearing 35.6°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 235° and 23°. Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd scores 97/100 on a 35.6° 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 Los Angeles International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) 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: Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd, Clutter's Park, Dockweiler State Beach. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 4 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 KLAX spotting locations?
KLAX spotting locations sun direction: Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd (runway 25L, 25R) 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. In-N-Out Sepulveda (runway 24R, 24L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. Clutter's Park (runway 25L, 24R, 07R, 06R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. Dockweiler State Beach (runway 24R, 24L, 25L, 06L, 07L) 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. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Los Angeles (LAX)?
Proud Bird, Aviation Blvd is 531 m from the 25L 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 348 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Los Angeles (KLAX)?
Monitor Tower 119.8 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, Approach 124.3 MHz, ATIS 133.8 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 119.8 MHz.
How do I know when Los Angeles (LAX) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 260° at 11 kt, so 25L 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/KLAX#runway-alerts