San Francisco International Airport (SFO / KSFO) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
San Francisco, United States of America
San Francisco
SFO/KSFO
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 14:05 local
- Active runway
- 28R
- METAR wind
- 270° @ 13 kt G20
- Best spot
- Bayfront Park, Millbrae
- Sun
- 202° / 37°
D-ATIS · +11 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 3h 36m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KSFO flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best San Francisco (SFO) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR270° @ 13 kt G20
18°C · 10+ sm · 1017 hPa
FEW040 SCT200
Golden hour in 3h 36m
Runway alerts for San Francisco 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 SFO, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayfront Park, Millbrae Runway 28L, 28R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| San Bruno north Runway 19R, 19L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 28R · Dep 01R / 01L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10L | 118° | 11,870 ft | -11.5 kt | 6.1 kt | Standby |
| 28R | 298° | 11,870 ft | +11.5 kt | 6.1 kt | Landing |
| 10R | 118° | 11,381 ft | -11.5 kt | 6.1 kt | Standby |
| 28L | 298° | 11,381 ft | +11.5 kt | 6.1 kt | Standby |
| 01R | 28° | 8,660 ft | -6.1 kt | 11.5 kt | Departure |
| 19L | 208° | 8,660 ft | +6.1 kt | 11.5 kt | Standby |
| 01L | 28° | 7,650 ft | -6.1 kt | 11.5 kt | Departure |
| 19R | 208° | 7,650 ft | +6.1 kt | 11.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for San Francisco (KSFO)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.500 | Published |
| Approach | 128.325 | Published |
| Approach | 133.950 | Published |
| Departure | 120.900 | Published |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.200 | Published |
| ATIS | 113.700 | 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 Francisco (SFO/KSFO)
Which runway is active at San Francisco (SFO/KSFO) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 14:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 28R, departure 01R+01L. The METAR wind is 270° at 13 kt. 28R shows +11.5 kt headwind and 6.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at San Francisco (SFO) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 5° elevation. Bayfront Park, Millbrae scores 48/100, 480 m from runway 01R, view bearing 73.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 230° and 23°. Bayfront Park, Millbrae scores 71/100 on a 73.7° 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 Francisco International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at San Francisco International Airport (SFO/KSFO) 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: Bayfront Park, Millbrae. 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 KSFO spotting locations?
KSFO spotting locations sun direction: Bayfront Park, Millbrae (runway 28L, 28R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. San Bruno north (runway 19R, 19L) 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 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at San Francisco (SFO)?
Bayfront Park, Millbrae is 480 m from the 01R 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 2378 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at San Francisco (KSFO)?
Monitor Tower 120.5 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 128.325 MHz, ATIS 113.7 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 120.5 MHz.
How do I know when San Francisco (SFO) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 270° at 13 kt, so 28R 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/KSFO#runway-alerts