Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC / KSJC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
San Jose, United States of America
Mineta San Jose
SJC/KSJC
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 13:10 local
- Active runway
- 30L
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 30L - sunny side
- Sun
- 186° / 40°
D-ATIS · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 4h 31m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KSJC flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Mineta San Jose (SJC) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
19°C · 10+ sm · 1017 hPa
FEW044 SCT085 SCT110
Golden hour in 4h 31m
Runway alerts for Mineta San Jose 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 SJC, 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 30L - sunny side Runway 30L | 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 30L · Dep 30L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12L | 139° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
| 30R | 319° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
| 12R | 139° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 30L | 319° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Mineta San Jose (KSJC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 124.000 | Published |
| Approach | 120.100 | Published |
| Departure | 121.300 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.000 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.950 | 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 Mineta San Jose (SJC/KSJC)
Which runway is active at Mineta San Jose (SJC/KSJC) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 13:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 30L. The METAR wind is calm. 30L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: 30R, 12L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Mineta San Jose (SJC) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 30L - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 30L, view bearing 348.1°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 23°. Short final 30L - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 348.1° 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 Mineta San Jose International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC/KSJC) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 30L - 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 KSJC spotting locations?
KSJC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 30L - sunny side (runway 30L) 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 Mineta San Jose (SJC)?
Short final 30L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 30L 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 Mineta San Jose (KSJC)?
Monitor Tower 124.0 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 120.1 MHz, ATIS 126.95 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 124.0 MHz.
How do I know when Mineta San Jose (SJC) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 30L 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/KSJC#runway-alerts