Philadelphia International Airport (PHL / KPHL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Philadelphia, United States of America
Philadelphia
PHL/KPHL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:12 local
- Active runway
- 27R
- METAR wind
- 130° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 27R - sunny side
- Sun
- 255° / -2°
D-ATIS · -2 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Philadelphia (PHL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR130° @ 3 kt
17°C · 10+ sm · 1028 hPa
FEW060 SCT210
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Philadelphia 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 PHL, 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 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 27R · Dep 27R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09R | 76° | 12,000 ft | +1.8 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 27L | 256° | 12,000 ft | -1.8 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 09L | 76° | 9,500 ft | +1.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 27R | 256° | 9,500 ft | -1.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Both |
| 17 | 159° | 6,500 ft | +2.6 kt | 1.5 kt | Standby |
| 35 | 339° | 6,500 ft | -2.6 kt | 1.5 kt | Standby |
| 08 | 76° | 5,001 ft | +1.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 256° | 5,001 ft | -1.7 kt | 2.4 kt | Closed |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Philadelphia (KPHL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.500 | Published |
| Approach | 123.800 | Published |
| Approach | 120.425 | Published |
| Departure | 119.750 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.850 | Published |
| ATIS | 133.400 | 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 Philadelphia (PHL/KPHL)
Which runway is active at Philadelphia (PHL/KPHL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 27R. The METAR wind is 130° at 3 kt. 27R shows -1.7 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 26.
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 88/100, 2738 m from runway 27L, view bearing 284.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 21°. Short final 27R - sunny side scores 66/100 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 2738 m from the 27L 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 130° at 3 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