Los Cabos International Airport (SJD / MMSD) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
San José del Cabo, Mexico
Los Cabos
SJD/MMSD
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 12:02 local
- Active runway
- 34
- METAR wind
- 280° @ 8 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 34 - sunny side
- Sun
- 180° / 54°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 5h 12m
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Best Los Cabos (SJD) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR280° @ 8 kt
31°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
SCT040
Golden hour in 5h 12m
Runway alerts for Los Cabos 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 SJD, 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 34 - sunny side Runway 34 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 34 · Dep 34
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 174° | 9,843 ft | -2.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 354° | 9,843 ft | +2.2 kt | 7.7 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Los Cabos (MMSD)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.900 | Published |
| Approach | 120.900 | Published |
| Departure | 125.275 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.725 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.375 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.600 | 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 Los Cabos (SJD/MMSD)
Which runway is active at Los Cabos (SJD/MMSD) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 12:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 34. The METAR wind is 280° at 8 kt. 34 shows +2.2 kt headwind and 7.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Los Cabos (SJD) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 115° azimuth and 21° elevation. Short final 34 - sunny side scores 90/100, 1234 m from runway 34, view bearing 324.5°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 22°. Short final 34 - sunny side scores 88/100 on a 22.9° 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 Los Cabos International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Los Cabos International Airport (SJD/MMSD) 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 34 - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 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 MMSD spotting locations?
MMSD spotting locations sun direction: Short final 34 - sunny side (runway 34) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Los Cabos (SJD)?
Short final 34 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 34 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 Los Cabos (MMSD)?
Monitor Tower 118.9 MHz, Approach 120.9 MHz, ATIS 127.6 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 118.9 MHz.
How do I know when Los Cabos (SJD) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 280° at 8 kt, so 34 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/MMSD#runway-alerts