Planespotting Los Angeles — KLAX
LAX is the Pacific gateway of North America and one of the few mega-hubs where the classic spots are free, public and famous in their own right. Four parallel runways sit in two pairs: the north complex (6L/24R, 6R/24L) and the south complex (7L/25R, 7R/25L). Thanks to the onshore sea breeze the airport runs westerly almost all day — arrivals come in from the east over Inglewood and Westchester, departures climb straight out over the Pacific. Between midnight and about 06:30 noise rules switch to over-ocean operations, and only Santa Ana wind days flip the whole field to easterly. The result is predictable: you can plan an afternoon under the 24R approach weeks ahead and the sun will be behind you. Add a near-guarantee of dry weather, Asian and Australian widebodies arriving in banks, and a busy cargo ramp, and LAX earns its place on every spotter's list.
- AAL2606 A319 32 900 ft
- SWA1772 B737 8 050 ft
- UPS2903 B763 4 775 ft
- SWA2536 B737 3 700 ft RWY 24L
- AAL2564 A321 2 000 ft RWY 24L
- N39CL B407 1 400 ft RWY 06L
- SWA205 B38M 1 100 ft RWY 24L
- UAL2492 B38M 175 ft RWY 24L
Conditions right now
Runways
- 07L/25R RWY 07L 3,681 × 46 m · 12,077 × 151 ft concrete
- 07R/25L 3,379 × 60 m · 11,086 × 197 ft concrete
- 06R/24L 3,129 × 46 m · 10,266 × 151 ft concrete
- 06L/24R 2,719 × 46 m · 8,921 × 151 ft concrete
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
- Narrowbody60%
- Widebody22%
- Cargo8%
- Bizjet5%
- Turboprop4%
- Military1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Imperial Hill (Clutter's Park), El Segundo
A small raised park on the south side of the airport with a panoramic view across the south runway pair. Departures from 25R pass side-on, arrivals on 25L can be caught holding short and crossing, and the cargo and taxiway traffic keeps the gaps short. It is the place to log the whole south side in one session.
- Getting there
- Imperial Avenue at Main Street, El Segundo. Street parking along Imperial Avenue and the side streets; it is a residential area, so keep noise down. Without a car, a rideshare is far easier than transit here.
- Best time
- Westerly operations, which is most of the day. You look north with the sun behind you from late morning onward; early summer mornings can be slightly side-lit.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm for departures and taxiing traffic; 70–200 mm for the widebodies rotating close in.
In-N-Out Burger, Sepulveda Boulevard & 92nd Street
The LAX postcard shot: arrivals on 24R cross low over the restaurant car park seconds before the threshold. A380s and 777s fill the frame with gear down, and the grass strip along Sepulveda Boulevard to the south-east, near the big LAX letters and approach lights, gives a slightly different angle on the same traffic.
- Getting there
- 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Westchester. The car park belongs to the restaurant and fills quickly — buy something and don't block customer bays for hours. Metro's LAX/Metro Transit Center on Aviation Boulevard is roughly 20 minutes on foot; check current routes before you go.
- Best time
- Westerly arrivals on 24R. Afternoon and golden hour put the sun behind you as you face incoming aircraft; mornings are backlit.
- Lens
- 24–105 mm overhead, 70–200 mm for aircraft further out on final.
The Proud Bird, Aviation Boulevard
A long-running aviation-themed restaurant and food hall with preserved aircraft on the lawn, sitting under short final for 25L on the south complex. You get low arrivals with a meal and restrooms nearby — a good choice with non-spotting company.
- Getting there
- 11022 Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles, with its own car park. Near the Aviation/Century Metro station. Opening hours have changed several times over the years — check before you go.
- Best time
- Westerly arrivals on 25L, afternoon light; mornings are against the sun.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm for final approach, a wide lens for the static aircraft.
Dockweiler State Beach & Vista del Mar
The other end of the airport: departures from all four runways climb out over the beach and the Pacific. Heavies bound for Asia and Australia rotate long and pass relatively low over the dunes, giving shots with the ocean and coastline below.
- Getting there
- Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey, with paid beach car parks along the shore. Do not stop on Vista del Mar itself — use the lots.
- Best time
- Westerly departures. Late morning to early afternoon works best; by late afternoon the sun drops over the ocean straight into your lens.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm; departures are higher here than arrivals at the east end.
Runway-view hotels on Century and Imperial
LAX has several hotels whose upper floors face the runways — the Embassy Suites LAX South near Imperial Hill and the Sonesta on Century Boulevard are long-standing favourites. Ideal for logging from dawn to dusk and for night shots without leaving the room.
- Getting there
- Book and ask explicitly for a high floor facing the airfield. Hotel shuttles run to the terminals.
- Best time
- All day for logging; the north-facing rooms keep the sun behind you.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm through glass; a rubber lens hood against reflections.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
American, Delta, United and Alaska all run major operations here, so domestic narrowbodies dominate, but the long-haul list is what draws spotters: Qantas, Emirates and British Airways A380s, Lufthansa 747-8s, plus a deep Asia-Pacific line-up — Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, Korean Air, ANA, JAL, Singapore, Philippine Airlines and Air New Zealand. The cargo side adds 747 and 777 freighters from Atlas, Kalitta, Cathay Cargo and Korean Air Cargo alongside FedEx and UPS. Asian arrivals cluster in the morning and their departures around midday and late evening. Military charters and government flights appear without warning, which is where a live alert pays off.
FAQ
What's that plane over Los Angeles?
Check Spotterra's live map: every ADS-B-equipped aircraft over the Los Angeles basin shows up in real time with its type, registration and route, whether it's landing at LAX, Burbank or Long Beach. It's free and runs in your browser.
Which runway will be in use at LAX?
Almost always westerly — landings on 24R/24L and 25L/25R from the east. Between midnight and roughly 06:30 the airport uses over-ocean procedures, and Santa Ana wind days can flip everything to easterly. Spotterra predicts the active runway from the live METAR.
Is In-N-Out or Imperial Hill better?
In-N-Out for dramatic close-up arrivals on 24R in the afternoon; Imperial Hill for variety, departures and logging the south complex. Many spotters do Imperial Hill at midday and move to In-N-Out for golden hour.
When do the A380s and Asian widebodies arrive?
Most trans-Pacific arrivals land between early morning and late morning, with departures from midday into the late evening. Schedules shift by season, so set a Spotterra alert for the types you want instead of relying on an old timetable.
Spotterra watches the sky over Los Angeles
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.
Start spotting freeMore in North America: New York JFK · Miami · San Francisco · Chicago O'Hare · Dallas/Fort Worth · Seattle · All 204 airports →