Guadalajara International Airport (GDL / MMGL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Guadalajara, Mexico
Guadalajara
GDL/MMGL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:46 local
- Active runway
- 11R / 11L
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 11R - sunny side
- Sun
- 238° / 33°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
MVFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 2h 6m
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Best Guadalajara (GDL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFRCALM
25°C · 7 sm · 1021 hPa
BKN015
Golden hour in 2h 6m
Runway alerts for Guadalajara 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 GDL, 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 11R - sunny side Runway 11R | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 11L - sunny side Runway 11L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 11R / 11L · Dep 11R / 11L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11R | 113° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 29L | 293° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 11L | 114° | 11,608 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 29R | 294° | 11,608 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Guadalajara (MMGL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 119.300 | Published |
| Departure | 125.575 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.075 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.900 | 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 Guadalajara (GDL/MMGL)
Which runway is active at Guadalajara (GDL/MMGL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 14:41 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 11R+11L. The METAR wind is calm. 11R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Guadalajara (GDL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 11L - sunny side scores 68/100, 1234 m from runway 11L, view bearing 143.3°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 241° and 30°. Short final 11R - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 83.7° 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 Guadalajara International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Guadalajara International Airport (GDL/MMGL) 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 11R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 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 MMGL spotting locations?
MMGL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 11R - sunny side (runway 11R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 11L - sunny side (runway 11L) 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: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Guadalajara (GDL)?
Short final 11R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 11R 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 Guadalajara (MMGL)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.3 MHz, ATIS 127.9 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 Guadalajara (GDL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 11R 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/MMGL#runway-alerts