Travel company ranks best US airports for plane spotting

A new study by travel‑tech firm Upgraded Points has identified the United States’ best airports for aviation enthusiasts who enjoy plane-spotting.

By evaluating 50 of the nation’s busiest hubs across 11 criteria—including flight volume, runway configuration, visibility, and public accessibility—the company produced a ranking that highlights locations offering the most rewarding spotting experiences.

The analysis assigned each airport a composite score out of 100. Miami International Airport (MIA) emerged as the top spot with a rating of 69.7, followed closely by New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 64.4. The full top‑ten list is as follows:

Miami International Airport (MIA) – 69.7

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – 64.4

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – 62.4

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – 62.2

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) – 62.0

Denver International Airport (DEN) – 60.6

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – 59.2

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – 54.5

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) – 51.6

Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) – 51.4

Why Miami Leads

Miami received the highest overall score thanks to its intense aircraft activity—more than 1,300 daily movements—and a network of 18 official viewing sites. The airport’s observation area, known as “Holes,” is equipped with camera‑sized cutouts in the fence, allowing spotters to capture clear, low‑angle shots of arriving and departing flights.

Top Five Offer Diverse Benefits

JFK, DFW, LAX and ORD complete the upper tier, each scoring well for a combination of runway length, flight diversity and dedicated spotting zones. DFW’s Founders Plaza, for instance, provides an unobstructed view of the airport’s parallel runways, while the rooftop of JFK’s historic TWA Hotel has become a popular perch for photographers seeking close‑up images of trans‑Atlantic traffic.

Additional Findings

Viewing Infrastructure: JFK leads the nation with 19 official spotting locations, surpassing the study’s average of 10.6 per airport.

Runway Length: Denver International (DEN) boasts the longest average runway at 12,667 feet, well above the 9,204‑foot mean.

Weather Conditions: Hawaii’s Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL) and Kahului Airport (OGG) reported zero fog‑related days, offering consistently clear skies for observation.

Flight Volume: ORD handles the highest daily movements—2,349 takeoffs and landings—more than double the overall average of 904.

Keri Stooksbury, editor‑in‑chief at Upgraded Points, noted in a press release that “for aviation enthusiasts, it’s about capturing those unique, fleeting moments from a perfectly timed landing to a dramatic takeoff.”