Planespotting Boston — KBOS
Logan sits on a peninsula in Boston Harbor, almost surrounded by water, and that shapes everything about spotting here. Distances between spots are long and you often shoot across the water, but the reward is pictures with the harbour or the downtown skyline behind a widebody. Six runways point in four directions: 04R/22L is the main arrival runway in either direction, 04L/22R mostly handles departures, 15R/33L carries a lot of traffic too, 09/27 takes runway 27 arrivals and departures, and the short 14/32 and 15L/33R serve turboprops and small props such as Cape Air. Sea breezes make the configuration change often — in summer the southwest wind typically builds through the morning and dies away towards sunset. International flights cluster from midday into the evening, almost all passing Terminal E via 15R/33L. Note that photographing from the airport garages requires a Massport permit requested at least 72 hours in advance.
- SIA21 A359 31 150 ft
- BTQ862 PC12 9 900 ft
- JBU1018 BCS3 2 800 ft RWY 32
- AAL513 A319 1 625 ft RWY 15L
- RPA4777 E170 1 300 ft RWY 22L
- N53569 C172 450 ft RWY 15L
- BCS3
- A21N
Conditions right now
Runways
- 15R/33L 3,075 × 46 m · 10,089 × 151 ft asphalt
- 04R/22L RWY 22L 3,055 × 46 m · 10,023 × 151 ft asphalt
- 04L/22R 2,400 × 46 m · 7,874 × 151 ft asphalt
- 09/27 2,129 × 46 m · 6,985 × 151 ft asphalt
- 14/32 1,523 × 31 m · 4,997 × 102 ft asphalt
- 15L/33R 825 × 29 m · 2,707 × 95 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: 07:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody66%
- Widebody14%
- Turboprop8%
- Bizjet6%
- Cargo6%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Constitution Beach (East Boston)
A public beach park in Orient Heights facing the airport across the water. Aircraft taxiing on taxiway November to runway 22R pass in front of you, and 22L arrivals are reachable with a long lens. Benches, a beach and toilets make it a comfortable all-afternoon spot.
- Getting there
- MBTA Blue Line to Orient Heights, then a short walk southwest along Barnes Avenue. By car, exit Route 145 (Saratoga Street) onto Barnes Avenue and use the free park car park.
- Best time
- When 22R is departing and 22L landing. Afternoon to evening; heat haze over the water in warm weather.
- Lens
- 70–400 mm; about 90 mm for a 737 on taxiway November.
Saratoga Street (bridge to Winthrop and CVS car park)
The go-to place for 22L arrivals, with positions on both sides of the approach so you can follow the light. In the morning stand on the bridge between Saratoga Street and Main Street, where 22L line-ups are also possible; after midday switch to the CVS or Domino's car park.
- Getting there
- MBTA Blue Line to Orient Heights, then walk about 10 minutes (afternoon side) or 20 minutes (morning side) along Saratoga Street. Buses 712 and 713 stop nearby. Food and toilets at the shops along the street.
- Best time
- 22L arrivals, at any time of day if you swap sides around noon. Line-up shots only work in the morning.
- Lens
- 50–400 mm; about 70 mm for a 767 arrival from the bridge.
Castle Island and Fort Independence (South Boston)
A large waterfront park around a historic fort, lined up with arrivals on runway 04R. Popular with locals, with free car parks, a snack bar and toilets, and wide shots with the harbour in the frame.
- Getting there
- Castle Island, South Boston, at the end of Day Boulevard. Free parking; MBTA buses serve the area — check the MBTA website for current routes.
- Best time
- When 04R is the arrival runway. Mornings stand near the fort; after the sun swings round, move to the boardwalk by the car parks along the causeway.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm.
Shirley Beach (Winthrop)
The only real spot for runway 27 arrivals, a long beach along Shirley Street in Winthrop where you pick your angle on the approach. Summer weekends bring crowds, and there is no shade.
- Getting there
- Free roadside parking near Shirley Avenue or at the Deer Island car park. Buses 712 and 713 stop at Shirley Street and Bay View Avenue.
- Best time
- Runway 27 arrivals. Late morning to afternoon year-round, plus long summer evenings.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm, depending on where you stand.
Central Parking garage roof (permit required)
The best all-round location at Logan: from the top deck between the control tower and the Terminal C side you can follow international traffic on 15R/33L and its taxiways, and later in the day the ramp between Terminals B and C and the 04/22 runways. New buildings and light poles have reduced some views recently.
- Getting there
- Follow airport signs to Central Parking and drive to the top level (paid parking), or ride the Blue Line to Airport and take the shuttle to Terminal C, then the footbridge. A Massport plane-spotting permit is mandatory — apply online at least 72 hours ahead and carry it with ID; patrols ask.
- Best time
- Late morning to sunset for 15R/33L and Terminal E traffic; mid-afternoon to sunset for the 04/22 side.
- Lens
- 100–600 mm.
East Boston Memorial Park
A neighbourhood park between East Boston and the airfield, under the climb-out from runway 33L. Heavies are still low enough for good shots; narrowbodies are usually too high by the time they pass.
- Getting there
- From the Airport MBTA station (Blue Line, or the free airport shuttle), keep left and follow the path into the park. Car parking available — avoid the I-90 West ramp, which takes you into a toll tunnel.
- Best time
- 33L departures, from noon to sunset.
- Lens
- 200–400 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
JetBlue is Logan's largest airline, followed by Delta, American, United and Southwest, with Cape Air's small props shuttling to Cape Cod and the islands. The transatlantic list is long for a city this size: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Iberia, TAP, Icelandair, Turkish and others, mostly arriving from midday. Emirates and Qatar connect to the Gulf, and Asia is served by JAL, Cathay Pacific and Korean Air. Cargo is modest — FedEx, UPS and occasional widebody freighters. Summer brings the most seasonal European routes.
FAQ
What's that plane over Boston?
Spotterra's live map shows every ADS-B aircraft over Boston Harbor and the suburbs in real time, with type, registration and route. Free and browser-based — handy when a heavy is climbing out over East Boston.
Do I need a permit to spot at Logan?
Only for the airport parking garages. Massport asks for an online plane-spotting request at least 72 hours in advance; the confirmation email is your permit. Public parks and beaches around the harbour need no permit.
What's the best spot without a car?
Constitution Beach and Saratoga Street, both a short walk from the Blue Line's Orient Heights station. Which one works depends on 22L/22R being in use — check the live runway in Spotterra first.
Why does the runway change so often?
Logan sits on the open water, and sea breezes shift during the day. In summer a southwest wind usually builds through the morning, so the configuration you find at 8 a.m. may not last until lunch.
Spotterra watches the sky over Boston
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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