Planespotting London Heathrow — EGLL
London Heathrow is the busiest two-runway airport in the world and the most rewarding spotting location in the UK. Roughly 1,300 movements a day squeeze onto 09L/27R and 09R/27L, and because Heathrow is slot-constrained, the mix is unusually rich: a wall of A320s and 737s with long-haul widebodies threaded between them all day. Every major carrier that flies to Europe shows up here sooner or later — A380s from Emirates, Singapore and Qantas, 777s and 787s from three continents, the occasional government or head-of-state aircraft on the Royal Suite apron. This page tells you where to stand, when the light works and what to listen to — and Spotterra pings you the moment something worth chasing is inbound.
- EXS4G A21N 27 050 ft
- NJE767L CL35 17 625 ft
- VIR412W A339 7 775 ft
- BAW381 A320 7 000 ft
- AAL9600 B772 6 525 ft
- BAW553C A20N 5 500 ft
- MAS4 A359 4 425 ft RWY 27L
- ETD71M A388 3 700 ft RWY 09L
Conditions right now
Runways
- 09L/27R RWY 09L 3,895 × 49 m · 12,779 × 161 ft asphalt
- 09R/27L 3,653 × 49 m · 11,985 × 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: 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
Myrtle Avenue
The most famous spotting location in Europe and the reason many people come to Heathrow at all. A small grassy park at the end of 27L approach where aircraft pass roughly 60 m overhead on final — close enough to read the fan blades on a 777.
- Getting there
- Myrtle Avenue, Hounslow TW3. Piccadilly line to Hatton Cross, then a 10-minute walk, or bus 111/203 to Great South West Road. Street parking on Myrtle Avenue itself is limited and residential — be considerate.
- Best time
- Only works on westerly operations (27L/27R landings), which is roughly 70 % of the year. Afternoon light is behind you and perfect; mornings are backlit.
- Lens
- Wide to short zoom — 24–70 mm is plenty, and a 70–200 mm for taxi shots. Long lenses are useless this close.
Terminal 2 & 3 multi-storey car park roof
Elevated view over the northern apron and both runways, sheltered and usable in any weather. The best place to log registrations methodically rather than chase individual aircraft.
- Getting there
- Short-stay car parks at T2/T3, top level. Paid parking; Heathrow Express or Piccadilly line to the terminals if you arrive without a car.
- Best time
- All day — the elevation makes light less critical. Morning long-haul arrival bank (06:00–09:00) is the densest widebody period.
- Lens
- 300 mm and up for apron detail; a monopod helps.
Renaissance Hotel (Heathrow) — 09L/27R side
The classic hotel-window option: rooms facing the northern runway put you level with aircraft on short final. Popular enough that the hotel knows exactly why you are asking for a runway-view room.
- Getting there
- Bath Road, Hounslow TW6. Hotel Hoppa buses from all terminals; the roadside pavement along Bath Road is a free alternative with a similar angle.
- Best time
- Easterly operations (09L departures) in the morning, westerly landings in the afternoon.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm from the roadside, 100–400 mm from a room.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Expect European narrowbodies (A320 family, 737) from first wave to curfew, with long-haul banks arriving through the morning and departing late morning and evening. British Airways dominates, but the widebody variety is what brings people here: Emirates A380s, Qatar and Singapore 777s, United and American 787s and 777s, Air China, ANA, JAL, Korean, plus the daily rotation of freighters on the cargo apron. Rarities show up as diversions, government flights and one-off charters — exactly the traffic that hides in a schedule and where Spotterra earns its keep. Note the 23:00–06:00 night restrictions: the early morning long-haul arrival bank from 04:45 is the day's first and one of its best.
What actually flew over London Heathrow in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- A320 24.2 %
- A20N 17.4 %
- A21N 15.1 %
- A319 13.4 %
- B789 11.6 %
- B77W 6.3 %
- B772 6.1 %
- B738 5.9 %
Radio frequencies
Listen in — knowing what is inbound beats staring at the sky.
| Tower (north) | 118.500 |
| Tower (south) | 118.700 |
| Director / Approach | 119.725 |
| Ground | 121.700 / 121.900 |
| ATIS (arrivals) | 128.075 |
FAQ
What's that plane over London Heathrow?
Open Spotterra's live map — you'll see every aircraft over London Heathrow in real time, with type, registration and route. Free, no install, straight from the ADS-B network.
Where's the best spot at EGLL?
Myrtle Avenue 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 Heathrow
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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