Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport - Spotting Guide

Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport – Spotting Guide

January 12, 2025 - last modified on November 2, 2024

Salerno Costa D’Amalfi Airport (LIRI/QSR) is a small airport located 20km away from the city of Salerno. The airport was closed in 2016, completley renovated and reopened in 2024. The “new “airport will give people a better option to reach the Amalfi Coast, which is closer to Salerno, than the airport of Naples.

The airport does not have many daily movements, but there are plans to move some flights from Naples Airport to Salerno Airport for the Summer 2025 season, which will give it more life. At the moment, a big percentage of the operations are private flights or seasonal charter flights.

Written by Fabrizio Spicuglia. Last Update: October 2024

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
Runway 05/23	6437ft / 1962 m
Terminals
Terminal	Used for all flights, including private flights.
Spotting Information
Ladder	You will not need a ladder in any spot.
Car/Public Transport	You will need a car to move between spots. The train Station in Salerno has a bus that can take you to the airport terminal, where spot #1 is located.
Drinks/Food	Take everything you need. There is a cafeteria inside the terminal where you can stop and drink or eat, but nothing is nearby if you need food.
Hotels	Some hotels are close to the airport, mainly in Battipaglia, a small town just 10 minutes away by car.
Season	The best season to spot in Salerno is summer, as there are a high number of movements due to its proximity to the Amalfi Coast and Capri Island.
Security	Spotting is tolerated here without any problems. This airport receives a high number of private flights, so sometimes, if you are taking photos in spot #1, some security personnel can approach you; just be friendly, do what they say, and everything will be fine. Spot #2 and #3 are located in a residential area, so be friendly with local people and do not leave trash behind.
Runway Usage
General Info	Both runways can be used for takeoff, but only Runway 05 can be used for landing due to the mountains in the vicinity of the airport.
	QSR - Charts QSR - Charts

	Spot #1 – Terminal Parking – Ramp and Helipad movements
WHERE	Go to the airport parking lot right next to the terminal. Once at the fence you can see the entire ramp and parts of the runway.

WHAT	You will have a general view of the airport ramp from this spot. You can see planes parked close to the fence and the whole taxi to the runway. You can also see the helipad movements without any fence in the middle.

TIME	All the year from sunrise till 14:00 approximately.

MISC.	To take photos of the airport ramp, you must shoot through the fence. The fence is really high, so a ladder is not helpful. The helipad does not have any fence.

FOCAL LENGTH	24-400mm. Terminal ramp: B38M: 24mm / B733: 200mm. Helipad: AS50: 150mm / B429: 350mm / R22: 400mm.

	Spot #2 – Via Lago di Lesina – Runway 23 short takeoffs.
WHERE	There is a small road named “Lago di Lesina St” north of the airport. Access is from the north via SP173. There are plenty of fields, some of which give you an unrestricted view of the runway. When you pass the greenhouse, you will see an empty field, allowing you to see the runway.

WHAT	From this spot, you can see those planes that need a short run to take off, but you will not be able to see landings or any ground movements as the sight is blocked by trees.

TIME	During summer, from late afternoon till sunset. During winter not really usable as the sun doesn`t move to this side.

MISC.	Bring everything you need. There is nothing close.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm. B737: 150mm.

	Spot #3 -Via Lago di Lesina – Runway 23 takeoffs and Runway 05 landings.
WHERE	Just approximate 300 meters eastwards from the previous point. There is another empty field without trees at the end, giving you a clear view of the runway.

WHAT	From this spot, you can see the planes landing at Runway 05 with the mountains in the background, and you can also see the planes taking off from Runway 23, but they can be high.

TIME	During summer, from late afternoon till sunset. During winter not really usable as the sun doesn`t move to this side.

MISC.	Bring everything you need. There is nothing close.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm. A320 landing: 160mm / A320 takeoff: 400mm