Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN / LEBL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona
BCN/LEBL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 22:06 local
- Active runway
- 06L / 06R
- METAR wind
- 60° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 06L - sunny side
- Sun
- 300° / -47°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Barcelona (BCN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR60° @ 3 kt
20°C · 10+ km · 1020 hPa
FEW013 BKN024
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat 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 BCN, 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 06L - sunny side Runway 06L | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 06R - sunny side Runway 06R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 06L / 06R · Dep 06L / 06R
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 23:00 shifts the wind to 330° at 8 kt, favoring 02 in about 0.9 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06L | 66° | 11,000 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.3 kt | Both |
| 24R | 246° | 11,000 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.3 kt | Standby |
| 06R | 66° | 8,727 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.3 kt | Both |
| 24L | 246° | 8,727 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.3 kt | Standby |
| 02 | 19° | 8,300 ft | +2.3 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
| 20 | 199° | 8,300 ft | -2.3 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Barcelona (LEBL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 119.100 | Published |
| Departure | 126.975 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.800 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.650 | 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 Barcelona (BCN/LEBL)
Which runway is active at Barcelona (BCN/LEBL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 22:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 06L+06R. The METAR wind is 60° at 3 kt. 06L shows +3.0 kt headwind and 0.3 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Barcelona (BCN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 06L - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 06L, view bearing 36.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 18°. Short final 06L - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 36.7° 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 Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN/LEBL) 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 06L - sunny side, Short final 06R - 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 LEBL spotting locations?
LEBL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 06L - sunny side (runway 06L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 06R - sunny side (runway 06R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Barcelona (BCN)?
Short final 06L - sunny side is 1233 m from the 06L 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 Barcelona (LEBL)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, Approach 119.1 MHz, ATIS 118.65 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Barcelona (BCN) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 23:00 shifts the wind to 330° at 8 kt, favoring 02 in about 0.9 hours. 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/LEBL#runway-alerts