The airport of Sylt is the northernmost airport in Germany and is named Westerland-Sylt Airport (GWT/EDXW) officially as the centre of the capital Westerland is just about 2 km away. Sylt Airport belongs to the district of Tinnum and was already opened in 1918. Only domestic flights are operated from and to the airport. The based airline Sylt Air operates flights to Hamburg several times. MHS Aviation flies from Mannheim City to Sylt with a Dornier 328. Eurowings and Condor operate partly seasonal flights from Düsseldorf. Eurowings also flies from Stuttgart to Sylt. Lufthansa operates flights from Frankfurt and Munich. Swiss flies from Zurich to Sylt. Sylt airport is equipped with two runways and two terminals. The airport also has a visitors’ terrace, which belongs to the restaurant “Kolibri”. A ladder is needed at the fences to spot aircraft on the taxiway. The spotting positions around the airport are easy to reach (also by bus). Of the 2 runways only one is used for the bigger airplanes, which is of course an advantage.

Written by Severin Hackenberger and Louis in cooperation with Moritz Babl, Felix M., Louis as well as Franceso and Davide delle Santa. Last Update: 2020

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
06/24	1.696m (5.564ft) Concrete
14/32	2.120m (6.955ft) Concrete
Terminals
T1	All Schengen flights
T2	All regional flights
Spotting Information
Ladder	Needed, except for spots on short final. (A bike can be also useful.)
Car/Public Transport	For longer distance there are several bus stations, shorter distance between Spots can easily be reached by bike (or by feet).
Restrooms	At the terminal or at some Restaurants around the Airport.
Drinks/Food	There are Restaurants around the Airport.
Hotels	Around the Airport and City, but no special spotterworthy hotels.
Season	Around the summer months as you have plenty charter and many GA flights then. Winter is veeery calm.
Security	Spotting is absolutely easy and no problem here.
Runway Usage
General Info	There is only one useable runway for bigger aircrafts. The other one is only for lighter aircrafts.
06/24	Only for lighter aircrafts up to 7 tons.
14/32	For bigger aircrafts e.g. A320

	Spot #1 – Short Final 14 – Arrivals
WHERE	This spot is located north of the airfield just along the road, which crosses the arrival path. In the morning you can stand on the east near the skydiving center “Seventhsky”. There is a small parking area along the street. It works similar during the afternoon west of the runway axis close to the dog free run area. There is also a little hill, which offers quite a nice view (see the airport overview in the introduction) a bit northwest of the street here.
WHAT	Shots of aircraft on final approach for 14.
TIME	Actually all day as you can switch sides easily from east to west with the sun.
MISC.	There is a Restaurant named “Sylter Landküche” or the Marine Restaurant, but you can also get easily and quick to the terminal to a restroom or restaurant.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm – depends on where exactly you stand Our example needed: 130mm = A320

Morning side – East:
Unluckily we cannot provide any pictures taken from here yet.

Afternoon side – West:

GWT-Spot1

GWT-Spot1

	Spot #2 – Taxiway D – 14/32 movements
WHERE	Area along the fence on the meadow near to the terminal. You can park at the terminal (2€/hour) or at the parking area near the “dog free run” (for free). A ladder is needed or a bike to stand on is also good..
WHAT	Taxing aircrafts to 14 departure or taxiing to the terminal after 32 arrival. You can also see aircraft at landing on runway 14 – 32 departures may be too high.
TIME	From noon till sunset.
MISC.	A few meters to the terminal there is a restaurants and restrooms. You can either stand a bit away form the fence for arrivals or go directly to the fence and either shoot thru the mesh or use a small ladder.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-250mm ~ 80mm for aircraft on the taxiway / A320 arrival = 230mm

GWT-Spot2

	Spot #3 – Terminal – Terminal apron
WHERE	This spot is very easy to find. It is literally just located either north or south of the passenger terminal (which can be reached via Flughafenstrasse from the northwest easily) along the fence parts there.
WHAT	The apron in front of the passenger terminal as well as the nearby taxiways. In the background you have the runway, so 32 departures may also work from here, if they are not too high already.
TIME	Depends on how they are parked and from where you shoot, but afternoon is best here.
MISC.	Ladder recommended, however you can also shoot thru the mesh or over the fence as it is not too high. Everything you need is inside the terminal. Parking is easily possible here.
FOCAL LENGTH	24-200mm LH A319 = 100mm

GWT-Spot3

GWT-Spot3

	Spot #4 – Zum Fliegerhorst – GA Apron
WHERE	West of the airport, there runs the street “Zum Fliegerhorst”. You can actually shoot from its roadside the whole apron next to it, so this spot is literally just a few hundred meters along the fence. You can leave you car nearby at the roadside and then just walk down the street here.
WHAT	The whole GA apron in front.
TIME	Depends on how they are parked and from where you shoot, but from noon up to sunset works here.
MISC.	Ladder is useful but not welcomed. However you can shot thru the mesh or over the fence as it is not too high. Nothing around.
FOCAL LENGTH	18-200mm Close-Up f2f = 180mm / Overview of the apron = 135mm / Hawker 800 = 50mm

GWT-Spot4

GWT-Spot4

GWT-Spot4

GWT-Spot4

GWT-Spot4

GWT-Spot4

	Spot #5 – GAT – 06 Arrivals and Line-Up + 32 Departures
WHERE	On the parking area at the General Aviation Terminal, so south of the actual GAT itsself. There is a little gate, from where you can shoot easily…
WHAT	Shots of lighter aircraft on approach or Line Up at 06. You can also see big aircraft when taxiing down prior 32 departure on taxiway A and then you will also see the departure on runway 32 itsself as well.
TIME	In the afternoon eff later noon till sunset.
MISC.	Down the “Keitumer Landstraße” there is a supermarket or in the business park in Keitum south. To the other side you get to the terminal for restrooms. Ladder not needed at some points close to the mentioned gate, but recommended in order to be safe.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm A320 departure 32 = 400mm / PC12 side shot = 210mm / A320 side shot taxiway = 150mm

GWT-Spot5

GWT-Spot5

GWT-Spot5

	Spot #6 – Animalhotel – 32 movements + 14 vacators
WHERE	Near the Animal Welfare Association at the “Keitumer Landstraße”. So get rid of your car nearby and then walk in the little road leading northeast, pass the animalhotel on your right and continue till you end up at the fence directly. From there you can shoot nicely with a ladder
WHAT	Shots of taxing aircraft and landing aircraft for 32 movements mostly or heavy 14 arrivals.
TIME	From noon till afternoon/sunset.
MISC.	There are some restaurants and bakeries in the business park west of this spot. Ladder needed if you want to spot the taxing traffic.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-100mm 50-80mm for taxing aircraft / ~100mm for landing aircraft.

GWT-Spot6

GWT-Spot6

GWT-Spot6

	Spot #7 – Short final 32 – 32 Arrivals
WHERE	In the village of Klentertal just north of Keitum, turn off “Munkmarscher Chaussee” to the west onto a little dirt parking area just on the other site of the St. Severin church. Leave your car there and start walking to the northwest on the little field road till you reach the fence. Then search your favourite position along the fence on one side of the runway axis – either in the east close to some picnic tables in the morning or just at the fencekink in the west close to the forest in the afternoon.
WHAT	Shots of aircraft on final approach for runway 32.
TIME	Actually all day as you can easily switch sides by just crossing the field and thus runway axis by foot.
MISC.	There are some restaurants and bakeries in the business park west of this spot.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm – depends on where exactly you stand A320 = 85mm / Sea Lynx = 180mm

Morning side – East:

GWT-Spot7-East

GWT-Spot7-East

GWT-Spot7-East

GWT-Spot7-East

GWT-Spot7-East

Afternoon side – West:

GWT-Spot7-West

GWT-Spot7-West

GWT-Spot7-West

	Spot #8 – Short Final 24 – 24 Arrivals
WHERE	In the town named “Munkmarsch” at the Street “Pan’er”, where you can park by the roadside and from where you can shoot easily already. There is also a bus station close to the spot just a few steps south in the curve.
WHAT	Shots of lighter and regional aircraft on approach or departure once 24 is in usage.
TIME	From morning till later noon.
MISC.	There is one restaurant in the town of “Munkmarsch”.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm

Unluckily we cannot provide any pictures taken from here yet.