Planespotting London Gatwick — EGKK
Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world and that is precisely what makes it worth a day: at peak times an aircraft moves every 55 seconds on one strip of concrete. The traffic is different from Heathrow — leisure-heavy, with easyJet and TUI narrowbodies as the baseline, but with a long-haul layer that surprises people: Norse 787s, Emirates A380s, WestJet and Air Transat across the Atlantic, and a steady stream of holiday charters that bring unusual registrations from all over Europe. This page covers the spots, the light and the frequencies — and Spotterra tells you when something rare is on final.
- RYR10RY B738 3 100 ft
- EZY82GA A319 2 500 ft RWY 08L
- TKF1 A139 1 925 ft RWY 26L
- EZY49ZD A319 1 100 ft RWY 08L
- GDAZO DV20 900 ft RWY 26L
- GBZEC C152 700 ft
- 9HMIB B734 650 ft RWY 26L
- MAU42 A339
Conditions right now
Runways
- 08R/26L RWY 08R 3,162 × 45 m · 10,374 × 148 ft asphalt
- 08L/26R 2,560 × 45 m · 8,399 × 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
Charlwood / Lowfield Heath end (26L threshold)
The classic approach spot at the western end, with aircraft low overhead on short final and open sky behind them. Popular with photographers because there is nothing between you and the aircraft.
- Getting there
- Off Charlwood Road / Ifield Road near Lowfield Heath. Limited roadside parking; bus 200 from Crawley or a 20-minute walk from Gatwick's North Terminal.
- Best time
- Westerly operations (26L landings). Afternoon light works best; the position is backlit in the morning.
- Lens
- 24–105 mm for overhead, 70–300 mm for the approach.
The Beehive / perimeter road (08R end)
Eastern end of the runway with a view of departures rotating and arrivals over the fence. Quieter than the Charlwood end and better when the wind is easterly.
- Getting there
- Beehive Ring Road, Crawley RH6. Free roadside parking nearby; walkable from Gatwick station in about 25 minutes.
- Best time
- Easterly operations. Morning sun is behind you, which is the reverse of the Charlwood end.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm — aircraft are further away here.
South Terminal multi-storey car park
Elevated apron view for logging and for weather days. Not the shot of the trip, but the reliable option when it is raining sideways.
- Getting there
- South Terminal short-stay car park, upper levels.
- Best time
- All day; the elevation reduces light dependence.
- Lens
- 200 mm and up.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
easyJet dominates the movement count, with TUI, British Airways, Wizz, Vueling and Ryanair filling most of the rest. The interesting layer sits on top: Emirates A380 twice daily, Norse Atlantic 787s, Air Transat and WestJet to Canada, and summer charters that produce registrations you will not see anywhere else in the UK. Cargo is light compared with Stansted, but night freight and the occasional AN-124 or IL-76 charter do appear. Summer Saturdays are the busiest single spotting day in British aviation.
What actually flew over London Gatwick in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- A320 26.7 %
- A20N 17.4 %
- A319 15.1 %
- A21N 14.5 %
- B789 9.9 %
- B772 6.4 %
- B77W 5.6 %
- B738 4.5 %
Radio frequencies
Listen in — knowing what is inbound beats staring at the sky.
| Tower | 124.225 |
| Approach / Director | 126.825 |
| Ground | 121.800 |
| ATIS | 136.525 |
FAQ
What's that plane over London Gatwick?
Open Spotterra's live map — you'll see every aircraft over London Gatwick in real time, with type, registration and route. Free, no install, straight from the ADS-B network.
Where's the best spot at EGKK?
Runway threshold is the go-to. Which runway is active depends on the wind — Spotterra predicts it from the live METAR so you know where to stand.
How do I get alerts for interesting aircraft?
Sign up, set your location and radius, pick your categories (military, cargo, rare types) and the alert arrives by push, Telegram or email — often 10-30 minutes before a long-haul arrival.
Spotterra watches the sky over London Gatwick
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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