San Antonio International Airport (SAT / KSAT) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
San Antonio, United States of America
San Antonio
SAT/KSAT
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:42 local
- Active runway
- 13R
- METAR wind
- 100° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 13R - sunny side
- Sun
- 246° / 14°
D-ATIS · +8 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 38m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KSAT flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best San Antonio (SAT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR100° @ 9 kt
26°C · 10+ sm · 1020 hPa
FEW037 OVC080
Golden hour in 38m
Runway alerts for San Antonio 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 SAT, 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 13R - sunny side Runway 13R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 13R · Dep 13R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | 41° | 8,505 ft | +4.6 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
| 22 | 221° | 8,505 ft | -4.6 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
| 13R | 132° | 8,502 ft | +7.6 kt | 4.8 kt | Both |
| 31L | 312° | 8,502 ft | -7.6 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 13L | 132° | 5,519 ft | +7.6 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 31R | 312° | 5,519 ft | -7.6 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for San Antonio (KSAT)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.800 | Published |
| Approach | 121.075 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.925 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.700 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.900 | 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 Antonio (SAT/KSAT)
Which runway is active at San Antonio (SAT/KSAT) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 13R. The METAR wind is 100° at 9 kt. 13R shows +7.6 kt headwind and 4.8 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at San Antonio (SAT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 13R - sunny side scores 62/100, 1234 m from runway 13R, view bearing 102.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 229° and 32°. Short final 13R - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 102.7° 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 San Antonio International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at San Antonio International Airport (SAT/KSAT) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 KSAT spotting locations?
KSAT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 13R - sunny side (runway 13R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at San Antonio (SAT)?
Short final 13R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 13R 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 Antonio (KSAT)?
Monitor Tower 119.8 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 118.9 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 119.8 MHz.
How do I know when San Antonio (SAT) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 100° at 9 kt, so 13R 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/KSAT#runway-alerts