Plane Spotting Miami
Numerous hotels offer great views for plane spotting at Miami. Our favourite hotel is the Hilton Miami Airport which offers superb balcony views for those who book an executive room. For those travelling on a budget, The Comfort Inn still offers great value for spotting from the other side of the airfield.
| Hilton Miami Airport Last update May 2023 | ||
| Note: Previous reports have stated that all of the outdoor balcony rooms described below now have a fine mesh covering to protect against the many bugs in this area. Whilst this does not affect the view from the balcony it makes photography impossible from the balcony. | ||
| Location: | ** | On the southern perimeter overlooking runway’s 27 and the runway 30 intersection. Shuttle available to the airport. Please note :discretion is required when spotting at this hotel as members of the public have been reporting suspicious behaviour to the management who then are obliged to call the police. Please do not spot from corridor windows, and be discrete when spotting from the balcony as we do not want to loose this great location.
Just back down the road from the hotel is the 94th Aero Squadron restaurant and also there is a McD’s, Publix [supermarket] and other eateries, about 10 minute walk from the hotel. Also if you have a car there’s a gas station |
| Spotting: | ** | When landing or taking off on 27 everything can be seen from here with great views. If landing from the other direction traffic tends to vacate early out of sight, any departures are also high by the time they pass the hotel therefore luck has to be on your side. The ideal rooms are 1020 and 1120 which are end rooms with large balcony’s giving great views of the airport. These 2 rooms are exec rooms with double bedroom and lounge which could sleep up to 4 if required.
Following report from Jeff Hulme: Room 1153 which is at the back of the hotel but has great views over the middle of the airport from the Sky King pier [where they park] to the UPS cargo on the far side giving views of the biz, most could be read off early morning with the pole, bearing in mind my telescope is 20-60×50. Photos can also be had with a lens from 200+, I have a 100-300mm lens which was ample. On our return we got room 1020, this room is at the front and over looks the Latin America pier and down to the EU longhaul and Delta, you can’t see anything else. If landing over the sea, photos would be excellent but on my visit they were landing the other way. You can’t see the hangers, cargo areas or biz from here so a walk to the window which is 5 yards away will offer views for you. 1021 and 1022 also have a balcony, same views would be had from both. 522/622/722/822/922/1122/521/ 1020 has the balcony but with windows around it which look to be able to be pulled back. |
| Photos: | * | Balconies are now covered with mesh which can no longer be removed. This now makes photography impossible from the balcony area. |
| Value: | ** | Prices starting from £80 a room per night. |
| Book: | The hotel can be booked on the BOOKING.COM website which generally offers very good deals Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service. |
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| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
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Above: View from the room at the Hilton Hotel Miami Airport. Note all balconies are now covered with mesh making photography impossible. Credit Dean Mitchell
Above : View from the balcony of room 1120
Below : When landing from the city direction excellent landing shots can be had of a wide number of operators. When on opposite ends great departure shots can be taken from the balcony, however movements are generally limited to cargo operators on this configuration. Apron shots are also possible from the international piers facing the hotel. All photos taken with a 300mm zoom lens and 0-25% cropping. Room 1021 featured in these shots.
| Clarion Hotel (previously Comfort Inn) | ||
| Location: | ** | On perimeter of airfield upper levels of the hotel give good views out onto the airport |
| Spotting: | *** | Outstanding views over the airfield from high level rooms. Traffic on the runway 27R and terminal area can be read off with ease, any landings on then far runway can be difficult but an ACARS or SBS 1 set could help identify the few movements that land on the far runway. High level rooms in the odd range ending between 03-15 give you the views above. Rooms ending in 01/17/19 and even numbers give you an excellent view of the rear car park but unfortunately no aircraft ! Most of the hotel staff are familiar with the needs of spotters and should be able to help you find the correct rooms. |
| Photos: | ** | There are two layers of glass windows in the room. If possible take a 6-8mm allan key with you, this will enable you to open one window which allows you to take photos through the remaining windows. |
| Value: | ** | Prices starting from £60 a room per night. |
| Book: | FURTHER INFORMATION AND ONLINE BOOKINGS CAN BE FOUND ON THE BOOKING.COM WEBSITE WHICH GENERALLY OFFER VERY GOOD RATES | |
| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
Above. View from high level airport facing room at the Clarion Hotel. Credit Nik French. Visit Nik’s excellent photo blog byclicking here
Above, Another airport view from the Clarion Hotel taken in 2011. Credit :mdamttc199. Click here to see a wide range of excellent aviation videos
| Pullman Miami Airport (ex Sofitel) | ||
| Location: | ** | On the southern perimeter overlooking runway’s 09 threshold, ramps and cargo area. About half a mile further west than the Hilton above |
| Spotting: | ** | High level rooms facing the airport allow you to see the majority of the action, however SBS is required for the far runway and some terminal movements. |
| Photos: | ** | Some lower quality shots may be possible through the windows. |
| Value: | ** | Prices starting from £50 a room per night. |
| Book: | The hotel can be booked on the BOOKING.COM website who offer very good rates | |
| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
The above videos demonstrates the excellent views available from the Sofitel. subscribe to thedecofanning for a good range of excellent aviation videos.
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| Red Roof Inn | ||
| Location: | ** | On perimeter of airfield at the end of Runway 27R. Shuttle avaiable to the airport. |
| Spotting: | ** | Inbounds to RW27R pass over the hotel and can be read from a suitable room. Ask for a room overlooking the airport and you will get a view of the maintenance area. The technical college with its fleet of aircraft are also next to the hotel |
| Photos: | ** | From outside of the hotel photos can be taken of inbounds to RW27R if landing in this direction. |
| Value: | ** | Prices starting from £50 a room per night. |
| Book: | The hotel can be booked on the following link of BOOKING.COM who offer some great rates in the Miami area. | |
| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
General view from an airport facing room at the Red Roof Inn. When landing on 27R aircraft pass by much lower than the departing traffic shown here from the opposite direction. Credit TripAdvisor
For a comprehensive list of Miami Airport Hotels, along with an interactive map click here
