Planespotting Vilnius — EYVI
Vilnius International sits just 6 km south of the Lithuanian capital and is a quietly rewarding place to spot. Its single runway, 01/19, has no fixed preferred direction — pilots often ask for straight-in approaches and straight-out departures, so the runway in use can swap with the wind and traffic. What makes Vilnius different is the Lithuanian aviation business clustered around it: ACMI operators, charter and VIP companies and a large maintenance base mean aircraft in unusual liveries, airframes in for heavy checks and occasionally old jets waiting to be broken up. Add airBaltic, Wizz Air and Ryanair flying on routine and the major European hub carriers. The airport offers an official viewing deck at the southern end, the terminal is close to the city by bus and train, and the stands are not built for widebodies, so a visiting heavy is a genuine event.
- RYR370E B38M 2 600 ft RWY 01
- TXLU13
Conditions right now
Runways
- 02/20 RWY 02 2,514 × 49 m · 8,248 × 161 ft closed
- 01/19 2,513 × 49 m · 8,245 × 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: 06:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody78%
- Turboprop7%
- Bizjet6%
- GA4%
- Cargo3%
- Widebody1%
- Military1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Official spotting deck on Rodūnios kelias
The airport's official viewing platform, a raised steel structure west of the runway's southern end. From the deck you see all runway activity and aircraft taxiing on taxiway F without needing a ladder; the fence below gives a lower angle.
- Getting there
- Roadside of Rodūnios kelias, parking right next to the platform. Best reached by car; it gets busy on sunny weekends. No toilets.
- Best time
- Early afternoon to sunset, when the sun has moved round behind you to the west.
- Lens
- 30–70 mm for taxiway F, 100–300 mm for runway action.
Rodūnios kelias, south of the threshold
Continue south along the road past the touchdown zone and the end of the runway to pick a position along the fence. You are close to aircraft landing on 01 and lining up from taxiway F.
- Getting there
- Park on the roadside. The fence has sensors and security is wary of ladders — shoot through the mesh or from a little higher ground, and do not touch the fence. Take your rubbish with you.
- Best time
- Noon to sunset, with 01 in use.
- Lens
- 100–250 mm.
GA and scrapping apron at the end of Rodūnios kelias
At the end of the road, by the gate next to the flight academy building, you look onto the general aviation parking area where retired airliners sometimes wait to be dismantled.
- Getting there
- Park right at the spot. Security cameras point at this gate, so keep it short and do not climb anything.
- Best time
- Early afternoon to sunset.
- Lens
- 100–400 mm.
Parking garage near the terminal (top floor)
The top deck of the multi-storey car park a few hundred metres south-west of the terminal looks across the southern apron. Light poles get in the way, but you can log almost everything parked there.
- Getting there
- Walk up to the top floor and use the eastern edge. City buses and the airport train from Vilnius station stop at the terminal. Security may ask what you are doing.
- Best time
- From about 14:00 to sunset, all year.
- Lens
- 200–400 mm.
Vynoteka warehouse car park, Liepkalnio g. (19 arrivals)
East of the runway, the car park south-west of a wine warehouse at the end of Liepkalnio street gives morning shots of aircraft landing on 19. Walking closer to the fence, you can also catch 01 line-ups when aircraft backtrack.
- Getting there
- By car to the end of Liepkalnio gatvė; park in the warehouse lot. No toilets, but bins on site.
- Best time
- Sunrise to early afternoon; heat haze on summer days for line-ups.
- Lens
- 75–400 mm, 300–400 mm for line-ups.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
airBaltic bases A220-300s here, Wizz Air and Ryanair run large low-cost operations, and LOT, Lufthansa, Finnair, SAS, Turkish Airlines and others connect Vilnius to their hubs. The local industry adds variety: ACMI and charter airlines such as GetJet, Avion Express and Heston operate A320-family jets and 737s for other carriers, KlasJet flies VIP charters, and a large MRO hangar brings airliners from around Europe and beyond for maintenance. Widebodies are rare because the stands are sized for narrowbodies, so any heavy freighter or charter is worth a trip. Summer charters to Turkey, Egypt and the Mediterranean peak from June to August.
What actually flew over Vilnius in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- BCS3 23.7 %
- B738 22.5 %
- A21N 17.8 %
- A320 8.5 %
- CRJ9 7.8 %
- AT75 7.6 %
- A321 6.6 %
- B38M 5.5 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Vilnius?
Check Spotterra's live map — every ADS-B equipped aircraft over Vilnius is shown in real time with registration, type and route, including maintenance ferry flights and ACMI jets in another airline's colours.
Does Vilnius Airport have a spotting platform?
Yes, an official viewing deck by Rodūnios kelias at the southern end of the runway, with parking beside it. It covers all runway movements and works best in the afternoon.
Can I use a ladder at the fence?
It is better not to. The fence has sensors, and security can react strongly to ladders. Use the official deck, shoot through the mesh, or find higher ground.
Spotterra watches the sky over Vilnius
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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