Which runway is active at Philadelphia (PHL/KPHL) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 27R. The METAR wind is 240° at 9 kt. 27R shows +8.7 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 26.
Philadelphia, United States of America
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL / KPHL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Live METAR wind (240° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 27R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Philadelphia International Airport.
D-ATIS CONFIRMED$3/mo runway-shift alerts
Which runway is active at Philadelphia (PHL) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 27R. The METAR wind is 240° at 9 kt. 27R shows +8.7 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 26. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 14:37.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09R | 76° | 12,000 ft | -8.7 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 27L | 256° | 12,000 ft | +8.7 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 09L | 76° | 9,500 ft | -8.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 27R | 256° | 9,500 ft | +8.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Landing + departure |
| 17 | 159° | 6,500 ft | +1.4 kt | 8.9 kt | Standby |
| 35 | 339° | 6,500 ft | -1.4 kt | 8.9 kt | Standby |
| 08 | 76° | 5,001 ft | -8.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 256° | 5,001 ft | +8.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Closed |
D-ATIS J · landing and departure 27R
PHL ARR INFO J 1754Z. 25009KT 10SM FEW200 21/07 A3022 (THREE ZERO TWO TWO) RMK AO2 SLP234 T02060067 10206 20089 56035. SIMUL APCHS TO INTERSECTING RWYS. ARRIVALS EXPECT RNAV APCH RWY 27R, VISUAL APPROACH RWY 35. NOTAMS... ILS RWY 27R OTS, RY 9R, 27L CL LGTS OTS, RY 27R PAPI OTS, TWY S5, S6 CL LGTS OTS. RWY 8 RWY 26 CLSD. TWY S CLSD BTN, TWY, Y AND TWY S6 . .. TWY Y CLSD, BTN RWY, 27L AND TWY S . TWY A1 CLSD, TWY A2 CLSD, TWY A3 CLSD TWY S7 CLSD, TWY S 9 CLOSED, TWY S10 CLOSED . TWY D CLSD BTN RWY 27R AND RWY 35. TWY S CLSD BTN RWY 27R AND RWY 35. TWY RUNWAY 9R HOLDING PAD CLSD. TOWER FREQ 118.5 FOR ALL RUNWAYS. ADZ GATE ASSIGNMENT TO APPROACH CTL ON INITIAL CTC. LIGHTED CRANE 180 FT AGL 1500 FT SOUTH OF RWY, 27L, LIGHTED CRANE 100 FT AGL 100' FT SOUTH OF RWY, 27L. BIRD ACTIVITY IN VICINITY OF AIRPORT. USE CAUTION. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO J.
METAR KPHL 261754Z 24009KT 10SM FEW200 21/07 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234 T02060067 10206 20089 56035 $
SIDE/CROSS LIGHT
Live weather
VFR240° @ 9 kt
21°C · 10+ SM · 1024 hPa
FEW200
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Mon 26 Oct, 14:37Az 213° · El 31°Golden hour in 2h 53m
+0h local
Best Philadelphia (PHL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 27R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 77/100
Short final 27R - sunny side sits 797 m from the 26 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 284.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
797 m to centerline284.8° view bearingBest sun: Morning 08:00150-600mmNow: Side light
Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip
Know a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot
Best time to plane spot at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL / KPHL): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 39.872, longitude -75.241, and the America/New_York clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 27R - sunny side Runway 27R | 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. |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Philadelphia (KPHL)
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.5 MHz. D-ATIS is 133.4 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 797 m from 26, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gear
Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Philadelphia (PHL/KPHL)
Where is the best place to plane spot at Philadelphia (PHL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 27R - sunny side scores 96/100, 797 m from runway 26, view bearing 284.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 21°. Short final 27R - sunny side scores 74/100 on a 284.8° 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 Philadelphia International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL/KPHL) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 27R - sunny side. 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 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 KPHL spotting locations?
KPHL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 27R - sunny side (runway 27R) 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 Philadelphia (PHL)?
Short final 27R - sunny side is 797 m from the 26 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 Philadelphia (KPHL)?
Monitor Tower 118.5 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 123.8 MHz, ATIS 133.4 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 118.5 MHz.
How do I know when Philadelphia (PHL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 240° at 9 kt, so 27R 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/KPHL#runway-alerts
Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo
Get a Telegram ping when Philadelphia International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.