7 Great Places For Plane Spotting In New York

Few cities in the world offer aviation enthusiasts the sheer variety of aircraft movements found around New York.

With three major commercial airports handling more than 130 million passengers per year — plus one of the world’s busiest business aviation airports — the New York area delivers everything from giant international airliners and heavy cargo jets to corporate Gulfstreams and rare foreign carriers.

For plane spotters, the appeal is enormous.

At John F. Kennedy International Airport you’ll find one of the most diverse collections of international airlines anywhere in the world. LaGuardia Airport offers a constant stream of domestic narrowbodies with the Manhattan skyline nearby. Newark Liberty International Airport brings waves of United Airlines traffic and heavy long-haul movements. Meanwhile Teterboro Airport remains one of the world’s great business jet airports.

The challenge is deciding where to go.

Here are seven of the best places for plane spotting around New York.

TWA Hotel Observation Deck – JFK

Spotting planes at JFK from the TWA Hotel observation deck and pool.

If there is one iconic aviation location every enthusiast should visit in New York, it’s the TWA Hotel.

Built around the beautifully restored former Trans World Airlines terminal at JFK, the hotel has become one of the world’s most aviation-themed hotels. The rooftop observation deck and pool area provide excellent views across parts of the airport, including Runways 13L/31R and 04L/22R.

From here you can watch everything from Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s to cargo aircraft and rare foreign airlines taxiing nearby. The preserved Lockheed Constellation outside the hotel — converted into a cocktail lounge — adds even more nostalgia for aviation fans.

It’s one of the few spotting locations in the world where you can watch international heavies while sitting beside an infinity pool.

[Read: Spotting at the TWA Hotel, JFK]

Bayswater Park – JFK

Bayswater Park. Photo: Howard Chaloner

For photographers, Bayswater Park remains one of the best all-round spotting locations at JFK.

Located beside Jamaica Bay on the airport’s southern side, the park offers excellent views of aircraft using Runways 04L, 04R, and sometimes 31L. Depending on runway operations, arrivals can pass remarkably close overhead.

JFK’s incredible airline diversity is the big attraction here. On a good day you may catch airlines from Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Caribbean all within a few hours.

Morning light is often particularly good from this location.

Brookville Park Mounds – JFK

Another favourite JFK location is the elevated mound near Brookville Park.

This spot is especially good for arrivals on Runway 22L and departures from 04R. The slightly elevated angle allows clear views over the airport perimeter while avoiding many of the obstructions found elsewhere around JFK.

Unlike some airport locations in New York, enthusiasts generally report few problems from police or security here.

Because JFK’s runway layout spreads movements over a huge area, this is one of the better locations for simply relaxing and watching aircraft movements without too much interference.

[Read: 11 Classic Views of JFK in the 1970s]

Planeview Park – LaGuardia

Plane View Park at LaGuardia Airport

Despite its smaller size, LaGuardia can be one of the most entertaining airports in the United States for plane spotting.

The airport is dominated by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines operations, alongside flights from Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier, Air Canada, and WestJet. Aircraft movements are constant throughout the day, particularly involving Airbus A320 family aircraft, Boeing 737s, and regional jets.

Planeview Park, located beside 23rd Avenue, is the airport’s classic spotting location. Arrivals on Runway 04 pass low overhead, while departures from Runway 22 can also be seen clearly.

The park includes benches and partial views of taxiways and terminal movements, making it an ideal place to spend a few hours.

[Read: Spotting at LaGuardia’s Plane View Park]

World’s Fair Marina – LaGuardia

If you want something more photographic, the boardwalk at the World’s Fair Marina offers excellent views of departures from Runway 13.

Aircraft climb away dramatically over Flushing Bay, often with New York scenery in the background. This is one of the better places around LaGuardia for catching side-on departure shots.

The location is particularly attractive during the late afternoon and evening when the light improves and traffic remains busy.

It’s also a surprisingly peaceful location considering how close you are to one of America’s busiest cities.

IKEA Parking Lot – Newark

Newark Liberty can be a challenging airport for spotters, but the famous IKEA location remains one of the best-known places to catch aircraft action.

Located southeast of the airport, the IKEA parking lot provides excellent views of aircraft approaching Runways 04L and 04R or departing from 22L and 22R.

Newark is dominated by United Airlines, including huge numbers of Boeing 737s, Airbus A320-family aircraft, and regional jets. However, the airport also handles impressive international traffic from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

Spotters should be aware that police and security staff sometimes move enthusiasts on from this area, particularly if large cameras or ladders are being used.

Industrial Avenue – Teterboro

Industrial Avenue at Teterboro. Image: Google

If your interest lies more with business aviation than airliners, Teterboro is an essential visit.

This airport is one of the world’s busiest executive jet airports and acts as the primary gateway for private aviation into New York City. Gulfstreams, Bombardier Globals, Dassault Falcons, and Embraer business jets appear constantly throughout the day.

Industrial Avenue runs alongside some of the airport’s busiest ramps and hangars, making it one of the best locations for logging parked aircraft and catching biz jet movements.

You never quite know what may appear here — from celebrity-owned aircraft and government jets to sports team charters and ultra-rare private aircraft from around the world.

Security staff are familiar with spotters but may still question photographers, especially near fences or parked aircraft.

[Read: The Aviation Hall of Fame Museum at Teterboro]

New York Is One Of The World’s Ultimate Aviation Cities

Very few places can match New York for sheer aviation variety.

In a single trip you can watch Emirates A380s arriving at JFK, Delta shuttles bouncing into LaGuardia, United widebodies crossing Newark, and billionaires arriving at Teterboro aboard private jets worth more than many airliners.

And if you enjoy discovering airports like these, our World Airport Spotting Guides (3rd Edition) includes spotting locations, viewing areas, spotting hotels, runway layouts, museums, and airport information for more than 350 airports worldwide — making it one of the most comprehensive aviation enthusiast guides ever published.

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