Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA / KSEA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Seattle, United States of America
Seattle-Tacoma
SEA/KSEA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 14:52 local
- Active runway
- 16R
- METAR wind
- 220° @ 12 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 16R - sunny side
- Sun
- 212° / 24°
D-ATIS · +9 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 2h 25m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KSEA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR220° @ 12 kt
12°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
FEW017 SCT024 BKN055
Golden hour in 2h 25m
Runway alerts for Seattle–Tacoma 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 SEA, 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 16R - sunny side Runway 16R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Climb-out 16L - sunny side Runway 16L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 16R · Dep 16L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16L | 180° | 11,901 ft | +9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Departure |
| 34R | 360° | 11,901 ft | -9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
| 16C | 180° | 9,426 ft | +9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Closed |
| 34C | 360° | 9,426 ft | -9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
| 16R | 180° | 8,500 ft | +9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Landing |
| 34L | 360° | 8,500 ft | -9.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Seattle-Tacoma (KSEA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.900 | Published |
| Approach | 120.700 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.850 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.000 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.000 | 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 Seattle-Tacoma (SEA/KSEA)
Which runway is active at Seattle-Tacoma (SEA/KSEA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 16R, departure 16L. The METAR wind is 220° at 12 kt. 16R shows +9.2 kt headwind and 7.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 16C.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 1° elevation. Short final 16R - sunny side scores 69/100, 1234 m from runway 16R, view bearing 150.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 228° and 17°. Short final 16R - sunny side scores 76/100 on a 150.7° 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 Seattle–Tacoma International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA/KSEA) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Climb-out 16L - 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 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 KSEA spotting locations?
KSEA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 16R - sunny side (runway 16R) 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. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Climb-out 16L - sunny side (runway 16L) 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 09:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)?
Short final 16R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 16R 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 Seattle-Tacoma (KSEA)?
Monitor Tower 119.9 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 118.0 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 119.9 MHz.
How do I know when Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 220° at 12 kt, so 16R 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/KSEA#runway-alerts