Travel Tips

Travel Tip: The Best Places for Plane Spotting

Locations in this article:  Atlanta, GA Los Angeles, CA

plane_landingAs a total airplane nut, one of Peter’s favorite pastimes is plane spotting. And the cool thing is, you don’t necessarily have to be in a VIP lounge or even inside the airport at all to see them.

Los Angeles natives know that to see planes arriving, they just need to order an In ‘n’ Out Burger. The restaurant has great views of the flight path. There’s also a small park across the road where you can plane spot for free.

A little off the beaten path, you can see the millionaires’ and celebrities’ private jets taking off from Van Nuys airport. There’s a public observation area, and outdoor seating at the Airtel hotel next door.

There are plenty of spaces to see planes taking off and landing at JFK. One of my personal favorites? Howard Beach.

And at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, the busiest one in the world, just park your car. At the South Parking Garage, that is. The cell phone parking lot is another good option for planespotting.

Just pay attention to the rules. A lot of places have tightened security since 9/11 and don’t allow photography.

For more information, visit the airport archives.

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