Lihue Airport
| Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: Hawaii |
| Lihue Airport | |
| Location | Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii |
| IATA code | LIH |
| ICAO code | PHLI |
| Airport type | Commercial |
| Website | http://hawaii.gov/lih |
| Overview map | Google Maps |
| Communications | |
| Tower | 118.9 263.1 |
| Ground | 121.9 |
| Clearance | |
| Approach | 126.5 269.4 |
| Departure | 126.5 269.4 |
| ATIS | 127.2 |
Lihue Airport is the primary commercial airport on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i. The vast majority of scheduled flights are to Honolulu, but the airport also has a number of nonstop flights to the mainland USA from a handful of legacy airlines and to Vancouver in Canada on WestJet Airlines.
Official Spotting Locations
There are no official spotting location at the airport.
Other Spotting Locations
Ninini Point Street
While the airport does not have an official spotting location, there are some fine vantage points to be found along Ninini Point Street, which meanders between and alongside runways 3/21 and 17/35. Most arrivals are on Runway 35, while departures take place on Runway 3. Arguably, the best photos can be taken of arrivals on runway 35 in the afternoon. It is possible to drive along Ninini Point St. past the Kiele Golf Course. Parking is available by the golf courses. One can then backtrack on foot along Ninini Point St. to the section of the road the runs parallel to runway 35. When an arriving aircraft is visible, you can climb up one of the artificial hills along the edge of the golf course, giving you an unobstructed view of aircraft touching down on the runway with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, as seen in the linked photo.
Ahukini Recreation Pier Park
Another location is found at the end of Ahukini Road, at Ahukini Recreation Pier Park, but be advised that departing aircraft will already be overhead. This location is also best in the afternoons, when the sun will be behind you.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
Alaska Airlines serves Oakland, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Seattle/Tacoma, and Portland (OR) on a varied schedule with arrivals and departures from the late morning to mid-afternoon. Flights are operated by 737-800 aircraft.
Aloha Air Cargo has cargo flights to Honolulu operated by 737-200s, 737-300s, and Saab-340s. These operate primarily at night but there are also irregular daytime flights.
American Airlines has flights to Los Angeles and Phoenix on 757-200s and A321s. Some of these flights may be operated by aircraft still sporting the US Airways livery.
Delta Air Lines has flights to Los Angeles and Seattle on 757-200s.
Hawaiian Airlines has a busy schedule with nearly hourly flights to Honolulu, supplemented by a few nonstop flights to the neighbor islands, all operated by 717-200s, with a flight from LAX on a 767-300 arriving around noon.
Trans Air has cargo flights to Honolulu and Kona operated by Shorts 360s. These operate primarily at night or in the early morning hours.
United Airlines flies nonstop to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver with 757-200s and 737-800s.
WestJet has a late evening flight to Vancouver, Canada, operated by 737-800s.