Planespotting Lisbon — LPPT
Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport sits inside the city, and aircraft on final to runway 02 pass low over the Campo Grande district and the Segunda Circular ring road — you can photograph them from a bus stop. Everything uses a single runway, 02/20; the prevailing northerly wind means 02 is in use most of the time, with 20 reserved for southerly winds and bad weather. TAP's hub gives Lisbon an unusually strong South Atlantic flavour: A330neos to a dozen Brazilian cities, plus Azul, LATAM and Angola's TAAG on daily rotations. Portugal's charter and wet-lease specialists such as Hi Fly, euroAtlantic and White are based here too, so odd widebodies are common. There are no official viewing areas, but Portuguese airports are relaxed about spotters on public land, and the police rarely intervene as long as you stay on the right side of the fence.
- SWR2BK BCS3 14 650 ft
- EJU32BT A20N 12 450 ft
- TAP691P A20N 9 475 ft
- TAP243U A339 2 600 ft RWY 03
- RVP355 C208 2 225 ft
- RVP468 DA42 1 600 ft RWY 03
- TAP10NL A20N 625 ft RWY 03
- TVF27JY B738
Conditions right now
Runways
- 03/21 RWY 03 3,827 × 45 m · 12,556 × 148 ft asphalt
- 17/35 2,322 × 45 m · 7,618 × 148 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
- Narrowbody55%
- Widebody22%
- Cargo8%
- Bizjet7%
- Turboprop5%
- Military3%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Segunda Circular, south side — 02 arrivals
A wide grass verge on the south side of the 2ª Circular ring road, directly under the final approach to 02. You can walk around to dodge trees, road signs and a large billboard, and read off registrations of aircraft taxiing out on the far side.
- Getting there
- By car, park at the petrol station next to the McDonald's just past the spot. On foot it is about 20 minutes from Campo Grande metro, but parts of the route have no pavement — a car or the cargo-side approach on foot is safer.
- Best time
- Runway 02 arrivals, sunrise to about noon.
- Lens
- 70–190 mm (about 120 mm for an A320).
Cargo terminal and Eixo Central mound — 02 line-ups
On the west side by the cargo terminal, concrete barriers and a raised mound along Eixo Central let you shoot over the fence at aircraft holding and lining up on 02, plus 02 arrivals touching down. The mound gives a higher angle and lets you walk along to find gaps between the light poles.
- Getting there
- Follow signs to the Cargo Terminal from the 2ª Circular; park in the cargo car park (first hour free, cheap after that) or in the free bays along Eixo Central. Bus 798 from Campo Grande to Alta de Lisboa – Qta Conchas (weekdays only). Don't park on the roundabout — police move cars quickly.
- Best time
- Afternoon to sunset, when the sun is in the west behind you.
- Lens
- 60–220 mm.
Charneca industrial zone overlook
Lisbon's best-known spot: a raised edge of a small industrial area west of the runway, with a view over the whole airport. Aircraft departing 02 usually rotate right in front of you, and 20 movements are all visible on the ground.
- Getting there
- Drive north from the cargo area and park at the spot (approx. 38.7827, -9.1393). Bus 798 or 717 from Campo Grande to Igreja Charneca, then about five minutes along Estrada do Pisão. Some shade and small cafés, no toilets.
- Best time
- Late afternoon to sunset. With no wind, heat shimmer over the runway can be strong.
- Lens
- 95–340 mm (about 170 mm for an A320).
Prior Velho park, Rua de Bissau — 20 arrivals and 02 departures
A local park with picnic tables and barbecues on the east side, below the runway level near the southern end. Use the north end for arrivals on 20 and the south end for departures from 02 climbing away. The runway is higher than you, so no ground shots, but the sky backgrounds are clean.
- Getting there
- Park along the street in Prior Velho. Bus 783 (make sure it shows Prior Velho, not Portela) from the airport departures level or Campo Grande. The park is open roughly 09:00–19:00.
- Best time
- Mornings, sunrise to noon, with the sun in the east behind you.
- Lens
- 200–270 mm.
Rua São Tomé corner, Prior Velho — 02 departures
A street corner just south of the park, at Rua São Tomé and Rua Cidade da Beira. Departures from 02 pass overhead as they climb, with arrivals on 20 possible too. The wall in front sits below the runway, so it doesn't block the view, and the buildings give shade.
- Getting there
- Park along the residential street (approx. 38.7910, -9.1245); same bus 783 as the park. Cafés nearby.
- Best time
- Morning, sunrise to noon.
- Lens
- 170–250 mm.
Campo Grande roundabout (Entre Campos metro) — 02 arrivals
The car-free option: the large roundabout by the university in Campo Grande lies under the approach to 02, and aircraft pass low over the city. The angle is steeper than at the ring road, but you are steps from the metro and cafés.
- Getting there
- Metro to Entre Campos and stand at the south-eastern corner of the roundabout near the restaurants. Some hotel rooms nearby overlook the approach.
- Best time
- Runway 02 arrivals, sunrise to noon.
- Lens
- 120–170 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
TAP dominates with A320neo-family jets and A330-900neos to Brazil, North America and Africa. Azul and LATAM add A330s and 787s, TAAG flies 777s and 787s from Luanda, and Emirates, Qatar, Turkish, United and Air Canada round out the long-haul mix. SATA/Azores Airlines, easyJet, Ryanair and Vueling are busy, and the charter operators Hi Fly, euroAtlantic and White often appear with unusual tails. Cargo is light (DHL, Star Air, Swiftair). The Portuguese Air Force's Figo Maduro base on the east side sees Falcon VIP jets and transport aircraft.
What actually flew over Lisbon in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- A320 35.7 %
- A21N 21.4 %
- B738 14.3 %
- E190 14.3 %
- BCS3 7.1 %
- B789 7.1 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Lisbon?
Spotterra's live map shows every aircraft over Lisbon in real time, with type, registration and route — perfect when an A330 rumbles low over Campo Grande and you want to know whether it's TAP, Azul or a Hi Fly wet-lease.
Which runway is used at Lisbon?
Usually 02 for both arrivals and departures, with aircraft landing over the city. Runway 20 is used in southerly winds and poor weather; Spotterra estimates it from the live METAR.
Can I spot at Lisbon without a car?
Yes. Campo Grande and Entre Campos metro stations are under the approach, bus 783 goes to the Prior Velho spots, and buses 798 and 717 reach the cargo area and Charneca. Bus 798 doesn't run at weekends.
When is the best time of day for long-haul at LIS?
Early morning, when TAP's Brazil and Africa flights arrive, and mid-afternoon, when several widebodies depart. May to July gives the longest light for the morning and evening spots.
Spotterra watches the sky over Lisbon
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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