Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW / KMDW) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Chicago, United States of America
Midway
MDW/KMDW
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 14:02 local
- Active runway
- 31R / 04R
- METAR wind
- 150° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 04R - sunny side
- Sun
- 205° / 32°
D-ATIS · -5 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 3h 12m
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Best Midway (MDW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR150° @ 5 kt
21°C · 10+ sm · 1023 hPa
FEW065 BKN180 BKN250
Golden hour in 3h 12m
Runway alerts for Chicago Midway 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 MDW, 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 04R - sunny side Runway 04R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 31R - sunny side Runway 31R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 31R / 04R · Dep 04R / 04L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13L | 134° | 6,522 ft | +4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 31R | 314° | 6,522 ft | -4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Landing |
| 04R | 43° | 6,445 ft | -1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Both |
| 22L | 223° | 6,445 ft | +1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 43° | 5,507 ft | -1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Departure |
| 22R | 223° | 5,507 ft | +1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 13R | 134° | 3,859 ft | +4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 31L | 314° | 3,859 ft | -4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Midway (KMDW)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 120.825 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.175 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.850 | Published |
| ATIS | 132.750 | 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 Midway (MDW/KMDW)
Which runway is active at Midway (MDW/KMDW) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 31R+04R, departure 04R+04L. The METAR wind is 150° at 5 kt. 31R shows -4.8 kt headwind and 1.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Midway (MDW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 31R - sunny side scores 94/100, 1233 m from runway 31R, view bearing 284.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 18°. Short final 04R - sunny side scores 88/100 on a 13.7° 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 Chicago Midway International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW/KMDW) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 31R - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 04R - 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 KMDW spotting locations?
KMDW spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04R - sunny side (runway 04R) 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 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 31R - sunny side (runway 31R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Midway (MDW)?
Short final 04R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 04R 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 Midway (KMDW)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, ATIS 132.75 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 Midway (MDW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 150° at 5 kt, so 31R 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/KMDW#runway-alerts