Miami International Airport (MIA / KMIA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Miami, United States of America
Miami
MIA/KMIA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:52 local
- Active runway
- 27
- METAR wind
- 360° @ 8 kt G16
- Best spot
- East perimeter 27
- Sun
- 250° / 10°
D-ATIS · -0 kt headwind
MVFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 21m
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Best Miami (MIA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR360° @ 8 kt G16
25°C · 3 sm · 1012 hPa
BKN020 OVC030
Golden hour in 21m
Runway alerts for Miami 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 MIA, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East perimeter 27 Runway 27, 26L, 26R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| NW 36th Street Runway 08L, 08R, 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 27 · Dep 27
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | 87° | 13,016 ft | +0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Closed |
| 27 | 267° | 13,016 ft | -0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Both |
| 08R | 87° | 10,506 ft | +0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Standby |
| 26L | 267° | 10,506 ft | -0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Standby |
| 12 | 119° | 9,360 ft | -3.9 kt | 7.0 kt | Standby |
| 30 | 299° | 9,360 ft | +3.9 kt | 7.0 kt | Standby |
| 08L | 87° | 8,600 ft | +0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Closed |
| 26R | 267° | 8,600 ft | -0.4 kt | 8.0 kt | Closed |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Miami (KMIA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 120.500 | Published |
| Departure | 119.450 | Published |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 120.350 | Published |
| ATIS | 119.150 | 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 Miami (MIA/KMIA)
Which runway is active at Miami (MIA/KMIA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:14 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 27. The METAR wind is 360° at 8 kt. 27 shows -0.4 kt headwind and 8.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 08L, 26R, 09.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Miami (MIA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 6° elevation. East perimeter 27 scores 94/100, 1234 m from runway 27, view bearing 296.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 33°. East perimeter 27 scores 74/100 on a 296.3° 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 Miami International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: East perimeter 27. 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 1 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 KMIA spotting locations?
KMIA spotting locations sun direction: East perimeter 27 (runway 27, 26L, 26R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. NW 36th Street (runway 08L, 08R, 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.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Miami (MIA)?
East perimeter 27 is 1234 m from the 27 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 Miami (KMIA)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 120.5 MHz, ATIS 119.15 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Miami (MIA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 360° at 8 kt, so 27 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/KMIA#runway-alerts