Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL / VIDP) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
New Delhi, India
Delhi
DEL/VIDP
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:29 local
- Active runway
- 29L / 29R / 28
- METAR wind
- 270° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 29L - sunny side
- Sun
- 90° / -27°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
IFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 2m
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Best Delhi (DEL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
IFR270° @ 3 kt
19°C · 1.9 sm · 1015 hPa
NSC
Sunrise in 2h 2m
Runway alerts for Indira Gandhi 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 DEL, 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 29L - sunny side Runway 29L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 29R - sunny side Runway 29R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-09:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 29L / 29R / 28 · Dep 29L / 29R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11R | 103° | 14,534 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Standby |
| 29L | 283° | 14,534 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Both |
| 11L | 103° | 13,681 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Standby |
| 29R | 283° | 13,681 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Both |
| 10 | 104° | 12,510 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 284° | 12,510 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.7 kt | Landing |
| 09 | 91° | 9,239 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 271° | 9,239 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Delhi (VIDP)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Tower | 118.250 | Published |
| Approach | 126.350 | Published |
| Departure | 125.575 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.625 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.950 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.400 | 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 Delhi (DEL/VIDP)
Which runway is active at Delhi (DEL/VIDP) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 04:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 29L+29R+28, departure 29L+29R. The METAR wind is 270° at 3 kt. 29L shows +2.9 kt headwind and 0.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Delhi (DEL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 18° elevation. Short final 29L - sunny side scores 93/100, 1234 m from runway 29L, view bearing 312.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 242° and 20°. Short final 29L - sunny side scores 75/100 on a 312.3° 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 Indira Gandhi International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 29L - 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 0 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 VIDP spotting locations?
VIDP spotting locations sun direction: Short final 29L - sunny side (runway 29L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 29R - sunny side (runway 29R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-09:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Delhi (DEL)?
Short final 29L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 29L 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 Delhi (VIDP)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.625 MHz, Approach 126.35 MHz, ATIS 126.4 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 Delhi (DEL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 270° at 3 kt, so 29L 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/VIDP#runway-alerts