San Diego International Airport (SAN / KSAN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
San Diego, United States of America
San Diego
SAN/KSAN
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:17 local
- Active runway
- 27
- METAR wind
- 290° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 27 - sunny side
- Sun
- 228° / 30°
D-ATIS · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 2h 12m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KSAN flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best San Diego (SAN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR290° @ 7 kt
23°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
FEW025
Golden hour in 2h 12m
Runway alerts for San Diego 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 SAN, 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 27 - sunny side Runway 27 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 27 · Dep 27
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | 106° | 9,401 ft | -7.0 kt | 0.5 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 286° | 9,401 ft | +7.0 kt | 0.5 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for San Diego (KSAN)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 121.325 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.475 | Assigned |
| Ground | 123.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 125.900 | Published |
| ATIS | 134.800 | 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 San Diego (SAN/KSAN)
Which runway is active at San Diego (SAN/KSAN) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 27. The METAR wind is 290° at 7 kt. 27 shows +7.0 kt headwind and 0.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at San Diego (SAN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 11° elevation. Short final 27 - sunny side scores 92/100, 1234 m from runway 27, view bearing 315.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 23°. Short final 27 - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 315.3° 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 San Diego International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at San Diego International Airport (SAN/KSAN) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 27 - 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 KSAN spotting locations?
KSAN spotting locations sun direction: Short final 27 - sunny side (runway 27) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT 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.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at San Diego (SAN)?
Short final 27 - sunny side 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 San Diego (KSAN)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 123.9 MHz, ATIS 134.8 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 San Diego (SAN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 290° at 7 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/KSAN#runway-alerts