Aircraft Spotting Pages - Philadelphia International Airport
There are several places around the airport that can make for some excellent photo locations, like any other major airport, you are bound to get stopped and questioned by security. PHL has four runways, with normal operations taking place on either the 9s or the 27s, with commuter and regional jet traffic landing on runway 35. Runway 8/26 is used, but not as often as the 9L/27R and 9R/27L combination.
This particular map comes from Google Earth, with modifications made to show the different spots around Philadelphia International Airport.
This map was updated on March 13, 2009.
About the Spots/What You'll See
I have visited all of the spots except for A, F, and I. The best way to get there is via Exit 15 off Interstate 95 (if you're heading south) for Enterprise Avenue. Once you get off the off ramp, it will put you on Enterprise Avenue. It is a four-lane road, two lanes in each direction. There will be a three-way stop coming up. You'll want to turn left at that three-way. Stay on the road, which becomes Hog Island Road. When you reach the spots, pull completely off the road, as UPS has 18-wheelers go by often and they may try to give you a beating, if you know what I mean. Stay on the side of the road that is not on airport property (the side closest to the Delaware River, or the same side as the checkered oil tanks).
If the 9s are in use, traditionally 9L will be used for departures and 9R for arrivals. Runway 35 will be used for arrivals as well. You may also see departures on Runway 8, if you're lucky. If the 27s are in use, 27L will be used for departures and 27R will be for arrivals. Runway 35 will also be used for arrivals as well and the same goes for 26. You won't see departures off of 26 because they go directly over the terminals.
As I stated above, you will see A LOT of US Airways aircraft. About 60% of the aircraft movements will be US Airways and US Airways Express planes. As of the last several trips I've made, I've noticed that there is an increasing number of regional jet activity here, most notably in terms of E170s, E175s, and E190s. Southwest Airlines used to take a huge chunk of traffic away from US Airways (though they do consider PHL as a focus city), but even their numbers have dropped somewhat. International carriers that utilize PHL on a regular basis include Air Canada Jazz, Air Jamaica, British Airways, and Lufthansa.
Spot A is utilized strictly for 8 departures or 26 arrivals. I have yet to check this spot out since there aren't a lot of aircraft that use this. Aircraft using this runway are either Regional Jets, Dash 8s, or biz jets and other planes that are going to park at Atlantic Aviation. Runway 8/26 is also about 5,000 or so feet long.
Photos from Spot A
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Spots B and C are good if you want belly shots or side shots of arrivals into 27R. If you are shooting video, you can get great sound as the jets will fly almost over you on their way to 27R. If you want the side-on shots, Spot C is better, and you can utilize areas before and after Spots B and C to get any kind of shot that you desire. This is also a great spot for departures off of 9L, as you'll get somewhat of either a belly shot or a side shot.
Photos from Spots B and C
Spot D is great for arrivals onto Runway 35. The traffic will fly over your head at a very low altitude. You can always adjust and attempt to get side-on shots. You'll always see Dash 8s and CRJs using 35 and sometimes will see a 737 or two. There are a lot of trees and shrubbery that will prevent you from getting a head's up on traffic coming into 35. It's also a decent spot for departures off of 9L as well as getting some shots of arrivals onto 27R. Most of the pictures below were taken on the airport side of the road, and it is not recommended you park or stand on that side.
Photos from Spot D
Spot E is located in the Employee Parking Lot for the UPS facility at PHL. You cannot get shots of arrivals onto 26, 27R, and 35 because you are distant from the thresholds of those runways. The specialty here is for 27L departures. Most of the smaller planes will take off using less runway than the larger planes (717 and larger), and you have the high airport perimeter fence in front of you, preventing you from getting pictures of the aircraft rotating. You will need 300+ mm if you want to shoot some traffic departing from 27L.
Photos from Spot E
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Spot F is actually a gravel parking lot that I have yet to visit but I do know where it is. It is another very good spot for departures from 27L.
Photos from Spot F
Spot G is on Hog Island Road and is very close to the threshold to Runway 9R. You can actually get touchdown shots from this spot. This is also a very good spot for 27L departures. While some of my videos from this location show someone on top of one of the guard rails, it is not recommended because of possible injury and the fact that you are not allowed to photograph near the perimeter fence.
Photos from Spot G
Spot H is on Hog Island Road and is slightly further down the road. You can get even closer to the action here, especially for arrivals onto 9R. Keep in mind that while you can't park on the same side of Hog Island Road as the airport, you can at this spot. To give you an idea where it is, park on the same side of the road as the airport about 100 feet before a yellow turn sign. There is no airport perimeter fence against Hog Island Road at this point and you can legally pull off to the side of the road and park. DO NOT PARK on the other side of Hog Island Road at this spot - there are no parking signs erected. DO NOT WALK OUT TO THE APPROACH LIGHTS!
Photos from Spot H
Spot I is the US Airways Maintenance hangar. While you won't get a chance to take pictures of aircraft departing or arriving, but you have the ability to get aircraft parked outside one of the maintenance hangars. However, I do believe you would be trespassing here, and I do not recommend it.
Photos from Spot I
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Spot J (unlisted) is in Fort Mifflin. I have yet to visit this spot, but have been told that it offers many amenities that none of the other spots offer. You get traffic arriving onto 27R and you are able to get as many different views as your heart intends on getting. Andrew from FlyAwayPhotos has visited that spot and has given it some rave reviews.
Photos from Spot J
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Spot K (unlisted) is actually in New Jersey. If you followed Red Bank Avenue all the way to its end (Exit 22 off I-295), you will come to a place called Soupy Island. The spot is great for arrivals on 27R, even though you are not within reach of PHL. You can also hear the sound of the aircraft as they pass from right to left. Please note that this is a public area and you will often see families out here, so exercise caution.
Photos from Spot K
Spot L (unlisted) is on a road where there is an airport auto park. I don't know the name of the road and I know it's not far from Hog Island Road. This spot is great for departures off of 27L.
Photos from Spot L
Spot M (unlisted) is 4th Avenue in Tinicum Township. There is an area you can pull off the road and catch 27L departures. I have been to this spot once and have been chased out by cops because I was not allowed to park there.
Photos from Spot M
Security
I have been to PHL numerous times and I had no problems with security on my first trip. In fact, I was there for about two hours and did not see a single squad car pass by. The second time I was there, I had someone from the Coast Guard (he pulled out of the area where the Sunoco oil tanks are) come over, ask for my ID, and gave me a head's up that I might be arrested for shooting video. I have taken it as fair warning, but still stayed at the spot, only shooting video from inside the car. However, I have heard and read about horror stories about photographers being given a hard time by the Airport Police and by the Philadelphia Police Department. These stories include equipment being confiscated, equipment being deliberately damaged, to getting arrested and detained by the police.
Your chances of getting questioned at PHL were very high, considering you have a major fuel storage facility between you and the airport (depending on where you're spotting from). Don't let that discourage you from going to PHL for the day. As long as you're cool about why the officers are there and you keep yourself collected, they should determine you are not a threat and will leave you be.
Today, PHL has become a spotter-friendly airport due to the fact that the Philadelphia Police Department is aware of our activities and the fact that the regulars are not of any threat.
Update for October/November 2007: A new Philadelphia Police Department chief has stated that he got an order from DHS which prohibits parking anywhere along Hog Island Road. As of this day, a Lieutenant in charge at the PPD is in good standing with several members of PHLAirline, and has stated that his officers will leave spotters alone if they continue to park on the side of Hog Island Road that is opposite that of the airport perimeter fence. There will be "No Parking" signs erected along Hog Island Road, but possibly not for a while.
Update for August 2008: PPD and Tinicum Township Police should not bother you as long as you remain on the side of the road opposite that of the airport perimeter fence. DO NOT PARK ON OR WALK OVER TO THE FENCE SIDE OF HOG ISLAND ROAD.
On a trip in March 2009, I was at Spot H with Andrew and we had several instances of Philadelphia Police vehicles driving by, including one where the officer stopped, but did not get out of the car, nor did he motion to have us go over to talk to him. His stop lasted all of thirty seconds and he simply drove off. Remember that when at Spot H, you can park on the same side of the road as the airport perimeter fence, but do not walk anywhere near the fence and do not walk into the field towards the approach lights.
On a trip in August 2009, Andrew and I were chased out of Spot M because we were "not allowed to park" there, even though No Parking signs were not in the area.
During the months of October, November, and the beginning of December 2009, according to the folks at PHLAirline, many spotters have been chased from the spotter-friendly spots for unknown reasons. This has raised some alarms with regards to the integrity of any of the spots listed here. Regardless, exercise caution when spotting, and as always, carry your ID and obey what law enforcement has to say.
© 2004-2010 Steven Holzinger