LaGuardia Airport (LGA / KLGA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
New York, United States of America
LaGuardia
LGA/KLGA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:30 local
- Active runway
- 04
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 04 - sunny side
- Sun
- 249° / 4°
D-ATIS · +6 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 30 min
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Best LaGuardia (LGA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 6 kt
16°C · 10+ sm · 1028 hPa
FEW250
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 30 min
Runway alerts for LaGuardia 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 LGA, 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 04 - sunny side Runway 04 | 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 04 · Dep 04
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 100° at 5 kt, favoring 13 in about 3.5 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | 32° | 7,002 ft | +5.9 kt | 0.8 kt | Both |
| 22 | 212° | 7,002 ft | -5.9 kt | 0.8 kt | Standby |
| 13 | 122° | 7,002 ft | +0.8 kt | 5.9 kt | Standby |
| 31 | 302° | 7,002 ft | -0.8 kt | 5.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for LaGuardia (KLGA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 118.000 | Published |
| Approach | 132.700 | Published |
| Departure | 120.400 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.875 | Published |
| ATIS | 125.950 | 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 LaGuardia (LGA/KLGA)
Which runway is active at LaGuardia (LGA/KLGA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 04. The METAR wind is 40° at 6 kt. 04 shows +5.9 kt headwind and 0.8 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at LaGuardia (LGA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 83/100, 1234 m from runway 04, view bearing 2.7°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 19°. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 61.2° 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 LaGuardia Airport?
The best time to plane spot at LaGuardia Airport (LGA/KLGA) 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 04 - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 1 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 KLGA spotting locations?
KLGA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04 - sunny side (runway 04) 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.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at LaGuardia (LGA)?
Short final 04 - sunny side is 1233 m from the 04 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 LaGuardia (KLGA)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 118.0 MHz, ATIS 125.95 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 118.7 MHz.
How do I know when LaGuardia (LGA) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 21:00 shifts the wind to 100° at 5 kt, favoring 13 in about 3.5 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/KLGA#runway-alerts