Tampa International Airport (TPA / KTPA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tampa, United States of America
Tampa
TPA/KTPA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:59 local
- Active runway
- 01L / 01R
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 13 kt G21
- Best spot
- Short final 01L - sunny side
- Sun
- 257° / -3°
Wind vector · +10 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Tampa (TPA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 13 kt G21
26°C · 10+ sm · 1017 hPa
FEW050 SCT085
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Tampa 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 TPA, 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 01L - sunny side Runway 01L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 01R - sunny side Runway 01R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01L / 01R · Dep 01L / 01R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19R | 182° | 11,002 ft | -10.2 kt | 8.0 kt | Standby |
| 01L | 2° | 11,002 ft | +10.2 kt | 8.0 kt | Both |
| 19L | 182° | 8,300 ft | -10.2 kt | 8.0 kt | Standby |
| 01R | 2° | 8,300 ft | +10.2 kt | 8.0 kt | Both |
| 10 | 92° | 6,999 ft | +8.0 kt | 10.2 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 272° | 6,999 ft | -8.0 kt | 10.2 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tampa (KTPA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.500 | Published |
| Approach | 121.100 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.350 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 133.600 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.450 | 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 Tampa (TPA/KTPA)
Which runway is active at Tampa (TPA/KTPA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 01L+01R. The METAR wind is 40° at 13 kt. 01L shows +10.2 kt headwind and 8.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tampa (TPA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 4° elevation. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 87/100, 1234 m from runway 01L, view bearing 332.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 230° and 33°. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 31.2° 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 Tampa International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tampa International Airport (TPA/KTPA) 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: Short final 01L - sunny side, Short final 01R - sunny side. 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 KTPA spotting locations?
KTPA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01L - sunny side (runway 01L) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 01R - sunny side (runway 01R) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tampa (TPA)?
Short final 01L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01L 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 Tampa (KTPA)?
Monitor Tower 119.5 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 126.45 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 119.5 MHz.
How do I know when Tampa (TPA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 40° at 13 kt, so 01L 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/KTPA#runway-alerts