Planespotting Palma de Mallorca — LEPA
Palma de Mallorca is a seasonal machine. In winter it is a quiet regional airport; from May to September it turns into one of the busiest airports in Europe, with summer Saturdays and Sundays bringing an almost continuous stream of A320s and 737s from Germany, the UK, Scandinavia and the Benelux. The variety of leisure and charter airlines is what spotters come for — carriers that never appear at the big hubs turn up here every week. Two parallel runways split the work, and arrivals always use the left-hand one: in westerly flow aircraft land on 24L (the southern runway) and depart from 24R; in easterly flow they land on 06L (the northern runway, approaching over the bay) and depart from 06R. Both directions are common, so check the configuration before choosing a spot. There is little public transport to the perimeter, so a hire car or bike from the hotels at Can Pastilla and Les Meravelles is the way to get around.
- DAH1563 B737 37 000 ft
- EWG76L A320 8 275 ft
Conditions right now
Runways
- 06L/24R RWY 06L 3,268 × 45 m · 10,722 × 148 ft asphalt
- 06R/24L 3,000 × 45 m · 9,843 × 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
- Narrowbody82%
- Bizjet8%
- Widebody4%
- Turboprop4%
- Military1%
- Cargo1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Can Pastilla beach — 06L arrivals over the sea
The holiday shot of Palma: aircraft on final to 06L come in low over the bay with the water beneath them. Stand on the beach for the closest view, or on the road above for a little height at the cost of a longer lens.
- Getting there
- Park in Carrer Prolongació Denton in Can Pastilla and walk down to the shore. Restaurants and toilets are close by, and you can cool off in the sea between arrivals.
- Best time
- Easterly operations (06L arrivals), morning to early afternoon. No shade on the sand.
- Lens
- 100–300 mm.
Carrer Sant Jordi by the windmill — 24L arrivals
A quieter roadside spot along Carrer Sant Jordi on the east side, beside one of the old windmills. Aircraft on short final to 24L pass with the Serra de Tramuntana in the distance on clear days. There are benches and a little shade from the trees.
- Getting there
- From the roundabout north of the Son Oms area take the first exit into Carrer Sant Jordi and park on the right by the windmill. Don't park in the lay-bys on the busy Sant Jordi main road, where police issue fines.
- Best time
- Westerly operations (24L arrivals), early morning to about 14:30 in summer.
- Lens
- 50–200 mm.
Son Oms industrial park — parking buildings
The upper decks of the multi-storey parking buildings in the Son Oms industrial park look across the airfield. They work best when 06R is used for departures, and you can also catch aircraft taxiing to and from Module D.
- Getting there
- Drive to Carrer Son Oms 4. The older eastern building is open every day and you can drive up to the first floor; the newer western building is accessible by car only on weekdays. Upper floors are private — leave if asked.
- Best time
- Easterly operations (06R departures), morning until heat haze builds around midday.
- Lens
- 50–200 mm.
Dead end behind FAN Mallorca shopping centre — 06L arrivals
A dead-end road behind the FAN Mallorca shopping centre on the north-west side, under the approach to 06L. Aircraft are still high enough that the fence never gets in the way, and the shopping centre ten minutes' walk away has everything you need.
- Getting there
- Leave the MA-19 at exit 6 towards FAN Mallorca, go round the shopping centre without entering its car park and take the dead end on the left; park at the end. Public buses stop at the centre. Large dogs on the neighbouring property can be aggressive — stay near your car.
- Best time
- Easterly operations, from about 17:00 to sunset in summer.
- Lens
- 75–260 mm.
Main public car park, top floor
The top floor of the airport's main public car park, opened in recent years, has no glass and no fence. You overlook the northern runway (06L/24R), part of the taxiway system and some of the stands; light poles and tails block parts of the ramp.
- Getting there
- Drive up to the top level of the general car park at the terminal (paid). Food and toilets in the terminal.
- Best time
- Summer: first hours of the day only, before heat haze. November to January: good light almost all day.
- Lens
- 150–600 mm (about 400 mm for an A320 on the runway).
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Eurowings, Jet2, TUI and Condor are the backbone, with Iberia Express, Air Nostrum and Air Europa connecting to the mainland. The summer schedule adds Lufthansa, SunExpress, British Airways, Norwegian, SAS, Finnair, Transavia, Wizz Air, Volotea and many smaller charter operators. Widebodies are occasional: A330s, 767s and 787s on peak charter days. Bizjets crowd the GA ramp in high summer, and the Spanish Air Force's search-and-rescue squadron is based on the military side.
What actually flew over Palma de Mallorca in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 27.9 %
- B38M 16.3 %
- A20N 14 %
- A21N 11.6 %
- A320 11.6 %
- AT76 7 %
- B789 7 %
- A321 4.7 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Palma?
Spotterra's live map shows every ADS-B aircraft over Mallorca in real time, with type, registration and route — useful on a summer Saturday for picking the rare charter out of the queue of A320s and 737s lining up over the bay.
When is the best time to spot at Palma?
Summer weekends, June to September, when charter traffic peaks. Weekdays in high season are still busy; November to March is quiet but the light is better and there is less heat haze.
Which runways does Palma use for landings?
Arrivals use the left runway in each direction: 24L, the southern runway, in westerly flow, and 06L, the northern runway, in easterly flow. Departures use 24R or 06R. Go to Carrer Sant Jordi for 24L arrivals and to Can Pastilla or the FAN shopping centre for 06L.
Is the spotting hill near Son Banya safe?
Local spotters advise against it, especially on foot and around dusk, because it sits near a troubled settlement. The FAN shopping centre and Carrer Sant Jordi spots are safer alternatives.
Spotterra watches the sky over Palma de Mallorca
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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