Doha International Airport (DIA / OTBD) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Doha, Qatar
Doha
DIA/OTBD
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 02:42 local
- Active runway
- 33
- METAR wind
- 350° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 33 - sunny side
- Sun
- 86° / -40°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 58m
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Best Doha (DIA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR350° @ 3 kt
29°C · 10+ km · 1013 hPa
CAVOK
Sunrise in 2h 58m
Runway alerts for Doha 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 DIA, 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 33 - sunny side Runway 33 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 33 · Dep 33
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 158° | 15,000 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 33 | 338° | 15,000 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Doha (OTBD)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.900 | Published |
| Approach | 121.100 | Published |
| Departure | 125.875 | Assigned |
| Ground | 118.275 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.575 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.450 | 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 Doha (DIA/OTBD)
Which runway is active at Doha (DIA/OTBD) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 02:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 33. The METAR wind is 350° at 3 kt. 33 shows +2.9 kt headwind and 0.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Doha (DIA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 123° azimuth and 28° elevation. Short final 33 - sunny side scores 95/100, 1234 m from runway 33, view bearing 309.0°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 250° and 11°. Short final 33 - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 7.4° 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 Doha International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Doha International Airport (DIA/OTBD) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 33 - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 OTBD spotting locations?
OTBD spotting locations sun direction: Short final 33 - sunny side (runway 33) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Doha (DIA)?
Short final 33 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 33 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 Doha (OTBD)?
Monitor Tower 118.9 MHz, Ground 118.275 MHz, Approach 121.1 MHz, ATIS 126.45 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 Doha (DIA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 350° at 3 kt, so 33 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/OTBD#runway-alerts