Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK / ZBAA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Beijing, China
Beijing Capital
PEK/ZBAA
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:03 local
- Active runway
- 01 / 36R / 36L
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 2 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 01 - sunny side
- Sun
- 81° / -30°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 35m
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Best Beijing Capital (PEK) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 2 kt
0°C · 10+ km · 1027 hPa
CAVOK
Sunrise in 2h 35m
Runway alerts for Beijing Capital 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 PEK, 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 01 - sunny side Runway 01 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT 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 36R - sunny side Runway 36R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01 / 36R / 36L · Dep 01 / 36R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 353° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 19 | 173° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 173° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36R | 353° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 18R | 173° | 10,499 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36L | 353° | 10,499 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Beijing Capital (ZBAA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.500 | Published |
| Tower | 118.600 | Published |
| Approach | 119.600 | Published |
| Approach | 119.700 | Published |
| Departure | 124.900 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.600 | Published |
| 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 Beijing Capital (PEK/ZBAA)
Which runway is active at Beijing Capital (PEK/ZBAA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 01+36R+36L, departure 01+36R. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 01 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Beijing Capital (PEK) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 120° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 01 - sunny side scores 91/100, 1234 m from runway 01, view bearing 323.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 13°. Short final 01 - sunny side scores 89/100 on a 22.2° 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 Beijing Capital International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK/ZBAA) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 01 - sunny side, Short final 36R - 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 ZBAA spotting locations?
ZBAA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01 - sunny side (runway 01) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT 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 36R - sunny side (runway 36R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT 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.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Beijing Capital (PEK)?
Short final 01 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01 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 Beijing Capital (ZBAA)?
Monitor Tower 118.5 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.6 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 118.5 MHz.
How do I know when Beijing Capital (PEK) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 2 kt, so 01 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/ZBAA#runway-alerts