Spotting guide
Plane spotting at Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
Where to watch, which runways each spot faces, and when the light is behind you.
Last reviewed November 2026
PHX at a glance
On an average day more than 1,300 aircraft arrive at and depart from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, on three parallel runways, and the airport itself names public places to watch them from. This guide covers those official spots first, then one well-known spot on a public trail south of the airport, with what each one faces and how to get there.
Check before you go. Access rules, parking and construction change. Before you set out, look at the airport's aircraft spotting page, which is the current word on where visitors are welcome.
The runway layout
PHX has three parallel runways running east to west. The two passenger terminals, Terminal 3 and Terminal 4, sit between the north runway and the other two.
| Runway | Position | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8/26 | North | 11,489 ft |
| 7L/25R | Center | 10,300 ft |
| 7R/25L | South | 7,800 ft |
A runway's number is its compass heading with the last digit dropped. Aircraft using 25L, 25R or 26 are heading west, and aircraft using 7L, 7R or 8 are heading east.
Spotter guides describe the usual pattern this way: arrivals mostly use the north and south runways, and departures mostly use the center one. Mornings tend to run eastbound (landing on 8 and 7R, departing from 7L). Later in the day the airport turns around and runs westbound (landing on 26 and 25L, departing from 25R). Wind and weather can change that on any day, so glance at a flight tracker before you pick a side.
Who flies here
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are the two largest carriers at PHX, and both are in Terminal 4. The airport also lists Aeroméxico, Air France, British Airways, China Airlines, Contour, STARLUX, Volaris and WestJet in that terminal.
Terminal 3 has Delta, United, Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Air Canada, Allegiant, Breeze, Porter and Sun Country, plus a few small regional operators.
Freight is mostly FedEx and UPS, and the Arizona Air National Guard flies KC-135 tankers from its base on the south side of the field. The airport's pocket guide for spotters names the A330, A350, 777, 787 and 747 freighters among the international and special visitors to look out for.
Airlines move, so confirm who is where on the airport's airline list.
1. Terminal 4 parking garage, rooftop
On the airport's own list of viewing spots, and the first stop in most spotter guides.
- What you see. Both sides of the airfield, though not at the same time. The north edge looks across American's gates to runway 8/26: landings on 26 when traffic runs west, and aircraft slowing down after touching down on 8 when it runs east. The south edge looks over Southwest's gates toward the center and south runways. From the west edge you can watch aircraft cross the taxiway bridges between Terminals 3 and 4.
- Light. Looking north, the sun is behind you for most of the day. Looking south, you face into it for most of the day. Guides note one exception, summer evenings, when the sun sets far enough north to flip that.
- Parking and access. Park in the garage itself; every level was open, the roof included, when we last checked in November 2026. It is paid parking, and the airport posts current rates. Without a car, ride the free PHX Sky Train to the Terminal 4 station; the train also meets Valley Metro Rail at its 44th Street station.
- Good to know. One guide warns that the top level gets very hot in summer. Bring water and sun protection.
2. Terminal 3 parking garage, rooftop
Also on the airport's list.
- What you see. The east end faces the Sierra and Tango taxiway bridges, where aircraft cross between the north and south sides of the airport. You also get partial views of the runways on both sides and of Terminal 3's own gates. The control tower stands next to Terminal 3 and blocks part of the view.
- Light. The same rule as Terminal 4: north is with the sun, south is against it. Guides favor the afternoon for the taxiway bridges.
- Parking and access. Paid parking in the garage, where every level was open in November 2026, or the free PHX Sky Train to the Terminal 3 station.
- Good to know. A new concourse is going up on the north side of Terminal 3, and the airport expects to finish it in 2027. One current spotter guide warns that the work will soon get in the way of the view from this garage.
3. Terminal 3 PHX Sky Train station
The third public spot on the airport's list.
- What you see. The airport recommends it for its views of the center and south runways.
- Parking and access. No parking needed. The PHX Sky Train is free and runs 24 hours a day, and the Terminal 3 station is on Level 5 of the terminal. Trains can come less often between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., when overnight maintenance is done.
4. With a boarding pass: inside security
For ticketed passengers, the airport points to the Terminal 4 D concourses and the Terminal 3 south concourse, both looking out on the center and south runways. In Terminal 4 it also suggests the Sky Harbor Fitness Trail, a walking route from gate A30 to gate D18, for a closer look at how the airport works.
Logging from the roof
Start a session in AVSpot when you reach your spot, then type each registration as it passes. AVSpot looks up the aircraft type and operator, and shows when one is new to your collection.
5. Rio Salado Pathway at South 40th Street
Off the airport grounds, on a public trail. It is not on the airport's list; spotter guides recommend it for the south side of the airfield.
- Where. The north end of South 40th Street, where the road stops at the Salt River. You stand on the river's south bank and look north across the riverbed to the airport. From East University Drive, take South 40th Street north until it ends.
- What you see. The center and south runways: landings on 25L when traffic runs west, and departures lifting off 7L when it runs east. Guides note that cargo, military and general aviation flights often use the south runway, the nearest one to this spot.
- Light. The sun is behind you for most of the day. Guides report backlight only on summer evenings.
- Parking and access. Park at the cul-de-sac where the street ends. The Rio Salado Pathway, a paved trail, runs past it, and guides describe a covered bench area beside the path.
- Good to know. There are no facilities at the spot, and it sits in an industrial area. Bring water.
Ground rules
- Stay on public property. The airport's own advice is that the areas open to the public are the safest places to watch and photograph aircraft.
- If airport staff or police ask you to move, or to stop what you are doing, do it. They have the final say on the day.
- Public areas can be restricted or closed for a special event or a VIP visit, such as an Air Force One arrival.
- Don't pull over to watch. The ramps and roads leading to Sky Harbor Boulevard are posted "No parking, stopping, or standing", and the airport says police issue citations.
- The cell phone lots are for drivers waiting to pick someone up, and drivers have to stay in their vehicles. Some spotting lists include them; this guide doesn't.
- Stay out of employee parking areas.
Make a session of it
Start a session at PHX, log each tail as it goes by, and finish with a summary of what you logged and what was new to your Hangar. Share Session, new in the web app and on its way to the phone apps, turns that summary into a picture for a story or a post.
Sources
From the airport: aircraft spotting, facts and numbers, passenger airlines, PHX Sky Train, parking and Terminal 3 construction.
From spotters: Spotterguide.net, SpottersWiki and Flightline Aviation Media.
AVSpot is an independent app and is not affiliated with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport or the City of Phoenix. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Years of sightings in a spreadsheet? Move your log into AVSpot.