King County International Airport

Continent: North America Country: United States Region: Washington
King County International Airport (Boeing Field)
Location Seattle, Washington
IATA code BFI
ICAO code KBFI
Airport type Public
Website http://www.metrokc.gov/airport/
Overview map Google Maps
Communications
Tower 120.6
Ground
Clearance
Approach
ATIS

King County International Airport is commonly referred to as Boeing Field.

Official Spotting Locations

There is no "official" spotting location for Boeing Field, however the Museum of Flight parking lot is the most commonly used.

Other Spotting Locations

King County Elections Office

Located at East Marginal Way and South 90th Street , this is a fantastic location to take pictures of planes from. You will need a decent sized step ladder as the area is fenced. Light is best in the afternoon and a 200mm lens as well as a wide angle lens will do just fine.

Airport Way South

Located along the side of the road on Airport Way S, one will find a short section with a sizable shoulder. You can park in the shoulder and use a step ladder to peer over the fence for insane views of runway 32L/14R. This is probably the best spot to take pictures from and is frequently visited by other spotters. The airport is aware of this location being used for aviation photography so it's unlikely one would encounter any issues utilizing this location.

Locations to Avoid

Midfield Air Park

As of August 2021, this observation area no longer exists. Any mention of it has also been removed from the city website. It seems to have been converted into a construction zone of some sort and is now populated by lots of 'No Parking' signs. This was historically a very popular location and was located at the intersection of East Marginal Way and South 86th Pl.

Regular Traffic

General aviation dominates the airport, but Boeing test flights are the highlight. New 737's are seen doing test flights prior to delivery at all times of the day and week. In the late afternoon, Airborne Express, ATI, DHL, and UPS cargo heavies arrive and depart. Kenmore Air Cessna Caravans can be seen departing anytime of the day taking passengers to the San Juan Islands. This airport is where most business jets come to and accounts for more than half of jet traffic to the airport.

Facilities and Transportation

Related Links

Plane-Spotter.com's BFI Spotter Guide

Boeing Field Aviation Photography Group

Seattle PlaneSpotters Forum