Plane Spotters & Livestreams

It’s easy to have your own Fantasy Island moment spotting planes at Brisbane Airport. Did you know 217,436 planes on average take off and land at Brisbane Airport, guaranteeing excellent spotting all year round?

Tag #BNEspotters and #BrisbaneAirport to share your photo and give us permission to repost your great snaps. 

Feeling inspired? Check out YBBN Spotters for a taste of spotting at Brisbane Airport.

We’ve spent a lot of time at the airport, so you can trust us when it comes to the best places for plane spotting: 

Acacia Street Loop: For the best shots of the runway, bring a zoom 70-300mm lens to the Acacia Street Loop (accessible with free parking from 4.30am-7.30pm, please be advise that these times are subject to change at the discretion of BAC) to see RWY19 and RWY01 arrivals and departures. For the best taxiway shots, you may want to consider a ladder for uninterrupted views over the fence. 

• Note: There is no pedestrian access between the Domestic Terminal and this area. 

Boronia Road: For front row seats to a RWY01 and RWY19 take off and landing show, set-up your tripod at Boronia Road from sunrise to 10am. A lens from 50-400mm will best capture the action, depending on your framing. Before getting too enthralled with your photos, please note that Boronia Road is home to a number of businesses, so use this area respectfully and don’t block any driveways.

• Security note: If you’re using a ladder, please keep three (3) metres clear of the fence.

Da Vinci Boulevard: The approach of RWY01 aircrafts is best captured from 11am onwards at Da Vinci Boulevard. Onsite parking makes this an accessible spot to set up for the afternoon, using (at least) a 20mm lens to capture the sunset as the planes approach in the afternoon light.

Livestreams: Brisbane Airport is unique for online planespotting through livestream with our diverse range of aircraft from A380s, Royal Flying Doctor Service King Airs and the largest remaining Fokker fleet in the world with special liveries thanks to Alliance Airlines. Popular and regular livestreamers to tune into include:

• Only Planes Network 
• Julia Flights
• Brisbane Airport: From time to time, we will stream our special flights including inaugurals and new routes and airlines on our YouTube channel. These special events give viewers a front-row window seat and behind-the-scenes view with cameras often in airside locations capturing landing, taxi and close up view of aircraft pulling up to the gate. 

Tips for plane spotting: 

• Charge your camera battery spotters! Take it from us, there’s nothing worse than coming all this way and realising you’ve flatlined.
• Pack spare batteries for your radio frequency scanner too so you don’t miss a beat.
• Follow the road signage, especially around parking as we need to keep some areas free for emergency vehicles.
• We take security seriously in the airport precinct and ask that you follow all signage and act accordingly.
• With limited undercover areas in these spotting areas we suggest you slip, slop, slap to spot. Depending on the time of day and year, insect repellent won’t go astray either.
• Time your visit for airport peak arrivals and departures by checking our website frequently.
• Turn off your flash when taking photos of aircraft for safety.
• It’s important to comply with any requests from BAC Security staff or the Australian Federal Police. Your safety is our number one concern.
• Be mindful of other plane spotters and share the vantage points so everyone can have a go. 
• Please ensure you maintain a three (3) metre distance from the perimeter fence when using a ladder.

• Extra tip: If you're out for a long spotting session, remember that the BNE Service Centre is available for bathroom facilities and food outlets.