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Explore retired aircraft skin tags ->Wellington International Airport (WLG / NZWN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington
WLG/NZWN
Updated Thu 29 Oct, 13:22 local
- Active runway
- 34
- METAR wind
- 330° @ 24 kt G39
- Best spot
- Lyall Bay, 34 approach
- Sun
- 351° / 62°
Landing: 34 100% · Wind vector · +20 kt
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 5h 57m
Departure: 34 100%
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when NZWN flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Wellington (WLG) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR330° @ 24 kt G39
17°C · 10+ km · 995 hPa
FEW021
Landing: 34 100%
Departure: 34 100%
Sunrise · Sunset
Az 351° · El 62°Sweet spot
Sunrise
06:13
Sunset
19:58
Live · Auto-updatingThu 29 Oct, 13:22 localAz 351° · El 62°Sweet spot
Golden hour in 5h 57m
+0h
Live flight board
Past Arrivals
Free · up to 10No landed arrivals recorded in the current radar window for NZWN.
Next Arrivals
Free #1 · Pro 2-10No inbound arrivals inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.
Unlock Arrivals #2 to #10 & Live Runway Odds
Past Departures
Free · up to 10No departures recorded in the current radar window for NZWN.
Next Departures
Free #1 · Pro 2-10No taxiing departures inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.
Unlock Departures #2 to #10 & Live Runway Odds
Runway alerts for Wellington 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 WLG, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyall Bay, 34 approach Runway 34, 16 | 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. |
| Moa Point, 16 approach Runway 16, 34 | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 34 · Dep 34
Landing: 34 100%
Departure: 34 100%
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 183° | 6,352 ft | -20.1 kt | 13.1 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 3° | 6,352 ft | +20.1 kt | 13.1 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Wellington (NZWN)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.800 | Verified |
| Approach | 122.300 | Verified |
| Ground | 121.900 | Verified |
| ATIS | 126.900 | Verified |
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 pageYour brand on NZWN
One sponsor card on the NZWN live map. $85/mo, shown to spotters after they check the runway.
Sponsor NZWN ($85/mo) ->Alerts: $3/mo or $29/yr Pro for 45-minute Telegram runway and exceptional-flight pings. Partner links may earn a commission.
Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Wellington (WLG/NZWN)
Which runway is active at Wellington (WLG/NZWN) right now?
As of Thu 29 Oct, 13:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 34. The METAR wind is 330° at 24 kt. 34 shows +20.1 kt headwind and 13.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Wellington (WLG) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 91° azimuth and 19° elevation. Moa Point, 16 approach scores 78/100, 1539 m from runway 34, view bearing 343.4°, best as a morning spot with a 100-400mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 293° and 43°. Lyall Bay, 34 approach scores 78/100 on a 145.9° 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 Wellington International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Wellington International Airport (WLG/NZWN) 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: Lyall Bay, 34 approach. 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 NZWN spotting locations?
NZWN spotting locations sun direction: Lyall Bay, 34 approach (runway 34, 16) 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. Moa Point, 16 approach (runway 16, 34) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Wellington (WLG)?
Lyall Bay, 34 approach is 989 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 1649 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Wellington (NZWN)?
Monitor Tower 118.8 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 122.3 MHz, ATIS 126.9 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 118.8 MHz.
How do I know when Wellington (WLG) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 24 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/NZWN#runway-alerts
How is Plane Spotter's Live funded? Do you use affiliate or sponsor links?
Plane Spotter's Live is independent and free to use. To cover live weather, radar, and hosting costs without intrusive popups or display ads, we offer optional $3/mo Telegram runway flip alerts, one quiet $85/mo sponsor slot per airport, and selected partner referral links (such as Aviationtag retired aircraft skin tags, telephoto lens rentals, VHF airband scanners, and runway-view airport hotels). If you purchase through a partner link, we may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.