Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL / PHNL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Honolulu, Oahu, United States of America
Daniel K. Inouye
HNL/PHNL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 13:05 local
- Active runway
- 08L
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 08L - sunny side
- Sun
- 201° / 54°
D-ATIS · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 4h 24m
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Best Daniel K. Inouye (HNL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
26°C · 10+ sm · 1014 hPa
FEW022 BKN039
Golden hour in 4h 24m
Runway alerts for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
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Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at HNL, 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 08L - sunny side Runway 08L | 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 08L · Dep 08L / 04R / 04L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08L | 90° | 12,360 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 26R | 270° | 12,360 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 12,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
| 26L | 270° | 12,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 04R | 53° | 9,002 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Departure |
| 22L | 233° | 9,002 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 53° | 6,955 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Departure |
| 22R | 233° | 6,955 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Daniel K. Inouye (PHNL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 118.300 | Published |
| Departure | 118.300 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.900 | 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 Daniel K. Inouye (HNL/PHNL)
Which runway is active at Daniel K. Inouye (HNL/PHNL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 13:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 08L, departure 08L+04R+04L. The METAR wind is calm. 08L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: 08R.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Daniel K. Inouye (HNL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 08L - sunny side scores 72/100, 1234 m from runway 08L, view bearing 60.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 25°. Short final 08L - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 60.7° 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 Daniel K. Inouye International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL/PHNL) 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 08L - 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 PHNL spotting locations?
PHNL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 08L - sunny side (runway 08L) 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 Daniel K. Inouye (HNL)?
Short final 08L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08L 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 Daniel K. Inouye (PHNL)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 118.3 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 Daniel K. Inouye (HNL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 08L 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/PHNL#runway-alerts