Planespotting Hong Kong — VHHH
Hong Kong International, on the reclaimed island of Chek Lap Kok, is the world's busiest cargo airport and Cathay Pacific's hub, so 747-8Fs and 747-400Fs share the sky with A350s, 777s and a wide spread of Asian carriers. Since the three-runway system opened, the layout is 07L/25R in the north, 07C/25C in the centre and 07R/25L in the south. The 07 direction is the norm. By day the north runway takes most arrivals until mid-afternoon, the centre runway takes over later, and the south runway carries most freighter departures plus traffic from the south apron. Spotting is entirely from public roads, seawalls and hills around Lantau and Tuen Mun: legal and relaxed, but you need buses, the occasional ferry and some walking. The official Sky Deck has been closed for years while Terminal 2 is rebuilt, and haze plus humidity mean truly crisp days are rare, so plan around autumn and winter.
- CGZ7290 A20N 6 750 ft
- UPS63 B748 6 175 ft
- CPA706 A21N
Conditions right now
Runways
- 07L/25L RWY 07L 3,799 × 60 m · 12,464 × 197 ft asphalt
- 07R/25R 3,799 × 60 m · 12,464 × 197 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: 09:00
Typical traffic mix
- Widebody44%
- Narrowbody32%
- Cargo21%
- Bizjet2%
- Turboprop1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Chek Lap Kok Scenic Hill (Scenic Road lookout)
The classic elevated view over the south runway: heavy departures off 07R pass right in front of you, and 25L traffic works too. A hiking path with lighting, benches and a shelter at the top.
- Getting there
- Bus to Cathay Pacific City or the Aviation Fuel Tank Farm stop (many E- and S-routes from Tung Chung and the city), then walk up Scenic Road and the paved stepped path from the cable-car building. Bring water — it's a steady climb.
- Best time
- 07R departures in the morning; good until about noon in summer and until mid-afternoon in winter.
- Lens
- Up to 500 mm for an A320; less for 747s.
Cathay Pacific City footbridge / grass by the airport police station
Two closely linked roadside positions for 07R departures, where freighters rotate in front of you. The grass area by the police station is closer to the runway and has a tree for shade; officers are said to be relaxed about spotters.
- Getting there
- Many buses (E11, E21, E23, E32, E33, S64 and others) to the Cathay Pacific City or Air Mail Centre stops. Don't drive — there's nowhere to park. No shops; bring everything.
- Best time
- 07R departures from morning to early afternoon.
- Lens
- About 250 mm for a 747 from the police-station grass; 400 mm+ from the footbridge.
South Perimeter Road seawall near the HAECO hangars
Rocks along the sea at the eastern end of the island, under arrivals for 07C and 07R, with heavy 25L departures visible too. No shade at all — hats and sunscreen are essential.
- Getting there
- Bus S52 from Tung Chung MTR (roughly every 20 minutes) to the Aircraft Maintenance Area terminus, then walk back to choose your spot. No facilities.
- Best time
- 07C arrivals until about noon in summer and until mid-afternoon in winter; 07R arrivals and 25L departures work in summer afternoons.
- Lens
- 250–450 mm depending on how far along the seawall you stand.
Sha Lo Wan — pier and hillside
A tiny Lantau village across the water from the south runway. From the pier you get 25L departures with minimal effort; the hill above gives a wide view of the 07R line-up and the cargo taxiways but takes a real hike through overgrown paths.
- Getting there
- Walk from Tung Chung MTR to Tung Chung Development Pier, then the Fortune Ferry towards Tai O, first stop Sha Lo Wan. Ferries are infrequent — check the timetable, because the walk back to Tung Chung is well over an hour.
- Best time
- Mornings, until about noon in summer and into the afternoon in winter.
- Lens
- 300 mm for an A320 from the pier; 130–200 mm for widebodies from the hill.
Mong Hau Shek waterfront, Tuen Mun
Not on Lantau at all: a fishing spot on the mainland shore lines up with arrivals for 25R across the water. Sharp results are realistic only with widebodies because of the distance.
- Getting there
- Bus K52 or K52A from Tuen Mun station to Mong Hau Shek, then about 30 minutes on foot to the end of the road and along the footpath to the shore. Limited parking; no shops nearby.
- Best time
- 25R arrivals in summer afternoons from about 14:00, and only on clear days.
- Lens
- 300–400 mm.
Regala Skycity Hotel rooftop garden
A guests-only roof garden 13 floors up at the SkyCity complex, between the approaches to 25L and 25C. Open-air, comfortable and handy before an early departure.
- Getting there
- SkyCity next to AsiaWorld-Expo, linked to the terminal by shuttle or the Airport Express. Book a room for roof access.
- Best time
- Only on west-flow days, when arrivals use 25L and 25C; check the active direction before booking.
- 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
Cathay Pacific flies A350-900s, A350-1000s, 777-300ERs and A321neos, alongside HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines. Freight is the headline act: Cathay Cargo 747-8Fs and 747-400ERFs, Air Hong Kong for DHL, FedEx, UPS, Cargolux, Atlas, Kalitta, ASL and a changing list of charter 747 operators from Central Asia and the Middle East. Mainland Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian carriers fill the passenger flow, plus Emirates A380s, Qatar and the European majors. The Government Flying Service has its base on the south side. Freighters run day and night; the south runway is the place for them.
FAQ
What's that plane over Hong Kong?
Open Spotterra's live map to see every ADS-B aircraft over Lantau and the harbour with type, registration and route. It's free and needs no app.
Where do the 747 freighters go?
Most freighters use the south runway, 07R/25L, so Scenic Hill, the Cathay City area and the South Perimeter Road seawall give the best odds. Spotterra can alert you to a 747F inbound 10–30 minutes before it turns final.
Is the Hong Kong Sky Deck open?
The old landside Sky Deck on Terminal 2 has been closed while T2 is rebuilt. Airside passengers can use the SkyBridge between Terminal 1 and the North Satellite, which has a viewing area at one end.
Which runway is in use at VHHH?
The 07 direction dominates. During the day the north runway takes most arrivals until mid-afternoon, then the centre runway. Spotterra shows the active direction from the live METAR.
Spotterra watches the sky over Hong Kong
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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