Planespotting Beijing — ZBAA
Beijing Capital is Air China's fortress and the airport where China's state visitors, government jets and heads of state most often arrive. Three parallel runways run north–south: 18L/36R in the middle, 18R/36L on the west and 01/19 on the east, next to Terminal 3. Airspace restrictions mean the airport mostly operates northbound — landings from the south on 36L, 36R and 01 — and almost every spotting location sits on the south side for exactly that reason. Air China and Star Alliance favour 01, Hainan and many Terminal 2 users plus most freighters land on 36L, and rare visitors are said to prefer the middle runway. Since Daxing opened in 2019, China Eastern, China Southern and much of SkyTeam have left, so the variety is narrower than a decade ago. Smog has improved, but winter's windy, clear days are still the best. Security has tightened since late 2022: carry your passport and expect spotting to be stopped during state events.
Conditions right now
Runways
- 01/18L 3,807 × 60 m · 12,490 × 197 ft concrete
- 19/36R 3,807 × 60 m · 12,490 × 197 ft concrete
- 18R/36L 3,208 × 49 m · 10,525 × 161 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 08:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody58%
- Widebody28%
- Cargo7%
- Bizjet4%
- Military2%
- Turboprop1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Tianbei Road pocket park (36L approach, morning)
A small public park with benches at the big Tianbei Road intersection, opposite a car dealership, right under the approach to 36L. Most of the morning cargo arrivals and Hainan traffic pass overhead, and the young trees have not yet blocked the view.
- Getting there
- Taxi or Didi to the Tianbei Road junction (show the name in Chinese). Bus stops along Tianbei Road nearby. Nothing on site — bring water.
- Best time
- Northerly operations (36L arrivals), sunrise to about 11:30.
- Lens
- 130–250 mm; a 747 is around 130 mm.
Tianbei Road pedestrian overpass (36L approach, afternoon)
The south-side ramp of a pedestrian overpass further west on Tianbei Road gives a slightly raised position for 36L arrivals once the sun has moved round. Easier to reach by public transport than the meadows around it.
- Getting there
- Follow Tianbei Road west; the overpass is next to the Tianzhu Kindergarten car park (天竺幼儿园停车场). Public toilet about 50 m to the west.
- Best time
- 36L arrivals, noon to sunset.
- Lens
- 140–230 mm.
Siwei Road (runway 01 approach)
A road south-east of Terminal 3 under the approach to runway 01 — the Air China and Star Alliance arrival runway, so this is where the 747-8s, A350s and 777s of the flag carrier come in. You can walk along the road to vary your angle.
- Getting there
- About 30 minutes on foot from Terminal 3, or Didi straight to the spot. Bus stops along Siwei Road.
- Best time
- Runway 01 arrivals, sunrise to around 11:00.
- Lens
- 110–200 mm; a 777 is about 110 mm.
Hill park south of the terminals (Erwei Road)
A small public park with a hill near the junction of Erwei Road and Yijing Road, overlooking the approach and line-up area of 36R. It is the best place for line-up shots on the middle runway and it has benches.
- Getting there
- Taxi to the Erwei Road / Yijing Road crossing, or walk from the terminal. The park reopened to the public in late 2022 without reservation.
- Best time
- Afternoon from about 14:30 to sunset; arrivals are fairly high here.
- Lens
- 50–300 mm.
Terminal 3 airside (arrivals level)
If you are flying with Air China or a Star Alliance carrier, the Terminal 3 gate areas look out over the Air China apron and runway 01/19 traffic. A dark jacket over the lens kills reflections, especially at night.
- Getting there
- Boarding pass needed. Some west-facing gates in T3-C have frosted film on the glass.
- Best time
- Depends on the pier; afternoon for east-facing gates.
- Lens
- 24–300 mm.
Hilton Beijing Capital Airport
East-facing rooms on higher floors look straight at the approach to runway 01. The car park behind the hotel has also been used for photos without problems.
- Getting there
- Near Terminal 3; request a high east-facing room.
- Best time
- Morning for runway 01 arrivals.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Air China dominates with 747-8, 777-300ER, A350, A330, 787 and the narrowbody families, plus Hainan, Shandong, Kunming and Sichuan Airlines. Star Alliance partners — Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish, ANA, United, Air Canada, Singapore — mostly use Terminal 3. Freight comes from SF Airlines, China Postal and Air China Cargo, mainly in the morning. The real interest is state and VIP traffic: visiting government aircraft, Air China's VIP jets and military transports, which usually use the middle runway. October to April brings the clearest days.
FAQ
What's that plane over Beijing?
Spotterra's live map shows aircraft around Capital and Daxing in real time with type, registration and route. Government and VIP aircraft often fly without public routing, so a callsign on the map is your best clue.
Can foreigners spot at Beijing Capital?
Yes, but carefully. Police patrol 24 hours a day and check CCTV at known spots; since December 2022 enforcement has been stricter. Carry your passport, avoid groups and ladders (forbidden), delete photos and leave if asked, and do not spot at all during major state events or summits.
Which direction does PEK usually operate?
Mostly northbound — arrivals from the south on 36L, 36R and 01. Southbound operations happen mainly in spring and almost always change in the afternoon.
Should I go to Daxing instead?
Daxing (ZBAD) now has China Eastern, China Southern and most SkyTeam carriers, so variety is arguably better there. Capital remains the place for Air China, Star Alliance and state visitors.
Spotterra watches the sky over Beijing
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
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