Planespotting San Francisco — KSFO
SFO sits on a man-made shoreline in San Francisco Bay, which makes it beautiful and awkward at the same time: water on three sides means most public spots are along the western shore, and they only work from about noon onward. Two pairs of crossing runways define everything. In the normal 'West Plan' arrivals come in over the Bay onto 28L and 28R, often as side-by-side parallel approaches, while most departures leave on 01L/01R and the heaviest long-haul jets use 28 for take-off. The south-east plan with 19 arrivals and 10 departures is rare and usually tied to storms. Heat haze over the water is the real enemy, so concentrate on widebodies and on the cooler late afternoon. In return SFO gives you United's trans-Pacific hub, a strong list of Asian and European carriers and paired landings you will not see at many airports.
Conditions right now
Runways
- 10L/28R 3,624 × 60 m · 11,890 × 197 ft asphalt
- 10R/28L 3,475 × 60 m · 11,401 × 197 ft asphalt
- 01R/19L RWY 01R 2,641 × 60 m · 8,665 × 197 ft asphalt
- 01L/19R 2,289 × 60 m · 7,510 × 197 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
- Narrowbody60%
- Widebody27%
- Cargo5%
- Bizjet5%
- Turboprop2%
- Military1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Bayfront Park, Millbrae
The best-known SFO spot: a waterfront strip with benches and shade looking across to 28L arrivals and taxiway traffic. The distance and water mean narrowbodies suffer from haze, so this is where you go for the 777s, 747 freighters and A350s.
- Getting there
- 1820 Old Bayshore Highway, Millbrae — leave US-101 at Millbrae Avenue and turn right onto Old Bayshore. A handful of free spaces, otherwise hotel parking. Millbrae BART/Caltrain station is a walk away.
- Best time
- West Plan (28 arrivals), noon to sunset. Mornings are backlit.
- Lens
- 300–500 mm; around 400 mm for a widebody on short final.
Coyote Point Recreation Area, San Mateo
Further south and further out into the Bay, so you are closer to the final approach of both 28L and 28R with less haze than at Millbrae. Parallel arrivals passing the point are the signature shot here.
- Getting there
- Coyote Point Drive off US-101 in San Mateo. It is a county park with a vehicle entry fee — check current fees and hours with San Mateo County Parks.
- Best time
- West Plan arrivals, from late morning until sunset.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm is enough; a long lens is less critical than at Bayfront Park.
Fisherman's Park, Burlingame
A small shoreline park on Airport Boulevard with free parking and side-on views of 28L arrivals. Visiting spotters often rate the haze lower than at Bayfront Park and the golden-hour light is excellent.
- Getting there
- Airport Boulevard, Burlingame — leave US-101 at Broadway and follow Airport Boulevard along the water. The park gate closes in the evening; check posted hours.
- Best time
- 28L arrivals from around noon to sunset.
- Lens
- 300–500 mm.
SFO SkyTerrace, Terminal 2
The airport's official observation deck before security, overlooking the point where the runways cross. Good for watching and logging; serious photography is hampered by glass that is angled and not always clean.
- Getting there
- Terminal 2, landside — follow the signs, no boarding pass needed, but you pass a security screening. Historically open only on selected days with limited hours; check the current schedule on flysfo.com.
- Best time
- Noon to sunset; also interesting on rare 19/10 reverse-flow days.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm, lens close to the glass.
Westin SFO Airport — airport-facing rooms
One of very few places to see departures off 01L/01R properly. Rooms in the wing facing the airfield cover the 01 climb-out, and you can drop down to Bayfront Park next door for the afternoon arrivals.
- Getting there
- Old Bayshore Highway, Millbrae, next to Bayfront Park. Ask for an upper-floor room facing the airport; windows do not open, so manual focus helps with double glazing.
- Best time
- 01 departures through the morning, then switch to the shore for 28 arrivals.
- Lens
- 200–400 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
United is the dominant carrier and runs its main trans-Pacific hub here with 777s and 787s, while Alaska, Delta, American and Southwest fill in the domestic side. The international list is long and Asia-heavy: Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Korean Air, Asiana, ANA, JAL and Air India, joined from Europe by British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish and Virgin Atlantic, plus Emirates and Qatar from the Gulf. Freighters are fewer than at LAX but 747 and 777 freighters do appear. Asian arrivals land mostly in the morning and leave from late morning to early afternoon and again late at night.
FAQ
What's that plane over San Francisco?
Spotterra's live map shows every aircraft over the Bay Area in real time — SFO, Oakland and San José traffic included — with type, registration and route. Open it in the browser, no app needed.
Which runway does SFO use?
Most of the year the 'West Plan': arrivals on 28L/28R over the Bay, departures mainly on 01L/01R with heavy long-haul jets taking off on 28. Reverse flow on 19/10 is rare and usually comes with storms. Spotterra predicts it from the live METAR.
Why are my SFO photos so hazy?
You shoot across water and pavement from a long distance. Pick the closer spots (Coyote Point, Fisherman's Park), favour widebodies, and go late in the afternoon when the air cools.
Can I photograph from the parking garages?
Spots on airport property, including garages, require SFO's free day photo permit, and visibility from the garages has been reduced by screens and new structures. The shoreline parks need no permit.
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