İstanbul Airport (IST / LTFM) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Istanbul, Türkiye
Istanbul
IST/LTFM
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 01:56 local
- Active runway
- 35R / 35L / 34R
- METAR wind
- 320° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 35R - sunny side
- Sun
- 32° / -58°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 5h 36m
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Best Istanbul (IST) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR320° @ 4 kt
12°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
SCT013 BKN026
Sunrise in 5h 36m
Runway alerts for İstanbul 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 IST, 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 35R - sunny side Runway 35R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 35L - sunny side Runway 35L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 35R / 35L / 34R · Dep 35R / 35L
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 03:00 shifts the wind to 280° at 8 kt, favoring 27 in about 1.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17L | 174° | 13,451 ft | -3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 35R | 354° | 13,451 ft | +3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Both |
| 17R | 174° | 13,451 ft | -3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 354° | 13,451 ft | +3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Both |
| 16L | 174° | 12,303 ft | -3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 34R | 354° | 12,303 ft | +3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Landing |
| 16R | 174° | 12,303 ft | -3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 34L | 354° | 12,303 ft | +3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 18 | 179° | 10,039 ft | -3.1 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 36 | 354° | 10,039 ft | +3.3 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 89° | 9,250 ft | -2.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 269° | 9,250 ft | +2.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Istanbul (LTFM)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 131.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.325 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.975 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.750 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.100 | Published |
| ATIS | 132.075 | Assigned |
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 Istanbul (IST/LTFM)
Which runway is active at Istanbul (IST/LTFM) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 01:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 35R+35L+34R, departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 320° at 4 kt. 35R shows +3.3 kt headwind and 2.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Istanbul (IST) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 4° elevation. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 79/100, 1223 m from runway 35L, view bearing 23.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 230° and 20°. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 23.2° 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 İstanbul Airport?
The best time to plane spot at İstanbul Airport (IST/LTFM) 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 35R - sunny side, Short final 35L - 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 LTFM spotting locations?
LTFM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35R - sunny side (runway 35R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 35L - sunny side (runway 35L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Istanbul (IST)?
Short final 35R - sunny side is 1223 m from the 35L 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 Istanbul (LTFM)?
Monitor Tower 131.1 MHz, Ground 121.75 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 131.1 MHz.
How do I know when Istanbul (IST) switches active runways?
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 03:00 shifts the wind to 280° at 8 kt, favoring 27 in about 1.1 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/LTFM#runway-alerts