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Oakland Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide

February 22, 2019 - last modified on November 30, 2023

Oakland International Airport (KOAK/OAK) is the San Francisco Bay Area’s smallest airport by passenger volume with around 13 million passengers passing through each year and serves the East Bay. The airport itself is located just south of Downtown Oakland and is adjacent to Bay Farm Island. Since the airport is situated in the bay, spotting angles are limited as only the eastern side of the commercial airport is accessible by land. The airport is split into two halves: the North Field, where all general aviation and corporate aviation operations take place, and the main commercial airport. The North Field contains three runways while the commercial airport has just one runway. Oakland is a major cargo hub for FedEx, serving over 20 destinations (two of which are Asian) thanks to a new facility built in 2013 to handle the 777 freighter. Oakland is also a focus city for Southwest Airlines, which takes up the majority of the market share at Oakland and also inhabit all of terminal 2. The North Field houses JetSuiteX’s operations and contains a base for Kaiser Air.

Although the majority of traffic in and out of Oakland is domestic, Oakland has seen the rapid expansion of international destinations due to explosion of budget carriers. Arekfly, Level, and British Airways all had unsuccessful attempts in making the Oakland market successful, but Norwegian and Azores Airlines (previously Sata Internacional) still serve a combined 7 transatlantic destinations. Volaris and Southwest Airlines serve a combined 6 Mexican destinations and Swoop will commence operations to Edmonton in May of 2019.

Oakland has been the base from which most Fleet week performers take off from since 2015. The arrival and departure of the Blue Angels draws massive crowds to the North Field and security around the North Field is generally more relaxed during Fleet week.

Written by Jordan Louie (local spotter). Last Update: January 2020

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
12/30	3.206 m (10.520 ft) asphalt
10R/28L	1.894 m (6.213 ft) asphalt
10L/28R	1.664 m (5.458 ft) asphalt
15/33	1.029 m (3.376 ft) asphalt
Terminals
Terminal 1	All carriers except Southwest
Terminal 2	Southwest Airlines only
Airport Chart
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed (while it would be convenient to have a ladder at some North Field locations, it is highly discouraged due to security reasons)
Car/Public Transport	There is no public transportation between spotting locations. A car is needed to access all spotting locations. Biking between spotting locations is also an option, as many locations are along the scenic Bay Trail (note that due to winds, biking north or west is significantly more difficult than biking south or east).
Restrooms	In general, there are no bathrooms close to spotting locations. There are public restrooms available at the San Leandro Marina and Hayward Regional Shoreline, but not close to the spotting locations.
Drinks/Food	There are no restaurants nearby.
Hotels	The Hampton Inn and Suites on Bay Farm Island on located on Ron Cowan Parkway faces the end of Runway 30
Season	Summer has the greatest variety of traffic. During winter, all locations that generally face westward are backlit.
Runway Usage
General Info	Normal operations sees the use of runway 30 on the comercial airport side and runways 28L and 28R on the North Field. During reverse operations, runway 12 is used at the commercial airport and runways 10L and 10R are used on the North Field.
12/30	Major runway as its the longest and used for all comerical arrivals (except for JetSuiteX) and departures as well as all departures for business jets.
10R/28L	Used by some general aviation and business jet arrivals and departures. General aviation working patterns and most Fleetweek performers also use this runway
10L/28R	Used for the majority of business jet arrivals and all JetsuiteX arrivals. It is also used for most general aviation arrivals and departures.
15/33	33 is only used for general aviation departures. It isn’t a commonly used runway

	Spot #1 – San Leandro Marina – Runway 30 arrivals
WHERE	This is the most well-known location to spot at Oakland. To get here exit the I-880 freeway at Marina west (for both directions). Follow Marina Boulevard until you pass a blue sign that says San Leandro Marina with a sculpture of a bird below it. For more of a sideview, turn right on Mulford Point Drive and follow that road until it dead ends. There is a parking lot and small park at the end of the peninsula (1A). For more of a belly and side view, continue straight down Marina Boulevard (which turns into Monarch Bay Drive and follow it until you get to a roundabout. Enter the parking lot here (restrooms are here) and then walk or bike south on the Bay Trail, over the bridge and past the building with whales on it. Arrivals will be visible along this entire stretch of the trail, but the closest angle is a half a mile south of the parking lot at a bench on top of a small hill just before the trail turns east (1B). If you are on bike and trying to get to Spot #2 (Hayward Regional Shoreline), follow the Bay Trail south. The trail will split at a housing development. Go right at this fork along the backyards of the houses. The trail will then turn west and then south again before transitioning to a gravel path. Follow this path south The third bridge (once you are on the gravel path) is one of the spotting locations at Spot #2. It is around 2 and a half miles between the spotting locations and around 5 miles from parking lot to parking lot. If you are on bike and trying to head north towards the airport, you will need to head north on Monarch Bay Drive and the make a left onto Neptune Drive. Ride along Neptune Drive until it dead ends at Oyster Bay and then follow the Bay Trail north from here. It is about a 6 mile ride from the Marina Parking lot to the Hampton Inn parking lot.
WHAT	This location is best for runway 30 arrivals.

TIME	March to late October from sunrise to mid-morning is the best time to spot. Any other time is completely backlit.

MISC.	At the first point the marina there are two restaurants and a hotel. Restrooms are available at the parking/playground area as noted earlier. The only food here is the occasional ice cream truck.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm is sufficient.

	Spot #2 – Hayward Regional Shorline – Runway 30 arrivals
WHERE	To get here, exit Winton Avenue West from the I-880 freeway and continue west on Winton Avenue past Hayward Executive Airport, through the railroad crossing, and straight through the four way stop. Continue past the industrial complex and make a left at the fork. Follow the road until you get to a gravel parking lot. Park here. If you have a lens with longer focal length and don’t feel like walking far, follow the path on the north side of the creek until you reach a dirt path that goes up a hill. On top of this hill is a possible spotting location and is only about a 3-5 minute walk from the parking lot (2A). A much closer angle is about a mile walk (15-20 minutes), or a 1.3-mile bike ride (5-10 minutes) out. If on foot, follow the dirt path up the hill and then make a left at the t-intersection. At the next intersection, walk straight through. At the third intersection, make a right and continue downhill to rejoin the main gravel path. Follow this gravel path north until you get to a bench just before a bridge. If you are on bike, bike down the paved path until you come to a t-intersection with a gravel path (the paved path is the thru path). Make a right onto the gravel path and bike north until you get to the bench at the first bridge. If you are biking between spotting locations, follow the instructions above to get to and from the parking lot and the bridge. Then use the instructions from the San Leandro Marina section to get to the desired location. It is about a 5 mile ride to the San Leandro Marina and an 11 mile ride to the Hampton Inn (the ride is very scenic and a great form of exercise!).

WHAT	This location is best for runway 30 arrivals

TIME	Between March and late October, lighting is good from mid morning until sunset (Note the closer to winter, the earlier you can start spotting here). During the winter months, it is possible to spot here all day.

MISC.	Outhouses are available at the paved parking lot at the very end of the road (past the gravel parking lot). There is no food here.

FOCAL LENGTH	For the location on top of the hill around 250mm is needed for a 787 and around 400-500mm is needed for an A320 or 737. A 70-300mm lens is sufficient at the first bridge.

	Spot #3 – Harbor Bay Parkway on Bay Farm Island – 30 departures 12 arrivals
WHERE	From I-880 freeway, exit 98th Avenue and head west (if heading north make a left, and if heading south, make a right). Continue down 98th Avenue and watch for signs indicating Ron Cowan Parkway and Bay Farm Island. Exit the expressway to the right onto Ron Cowan Parkway. Continue under the bridge that connects the commercial airport to the North Field. To the right should be the North Field (obscured by bushes) and to the left should be the Bay Trail and the FedEx cargo terminal. Go straight through the intersection with the flagpoles (the street turns into Harbor Bay Parkway). Make a left into the Hampton Inn parking lot (the first chance to make a left after passing North Loop Road) and drive all the way to the back of the hotel which should face runway 30/12. If you look north, you should be able to see the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. From this spot behind the Hampton Inn parking lot, you will mainly get belly shots (3A). Heavy departures, however, will be much lower. An alternate location is across Harbor Bay Parkway on the grassy strip in front of The Waterfront business complex. You will still get many belly shots of Southwest planes from this location (3B). If you want a more side-angle, walk a block east to the grassy strip between North Loop Road and A street (3C). If you are biking around this location, your main reference is the Bay Trail. It runs along Harbor Bay Parkway and Ron Cowan Parkway. Continuing south, you will cross John Glenn Drive and follow parallel to BART. At the next intersection, you can either make a 180 degree turn to continue south or continue along the trail to spot 28L/28R arrivals. From the Hampton Inn Parking lot, it is 1.5 miles to the cargo terminal, 2.75 miles to spot 28L/28R arrivals, 4.5 miles to Oyster Bay, 6 miles to the San Leandro Marina, and 11 miles to Hayward Regional Shoreline. You can easily reach this spot from Downton San Francisco via the Ferry, exit is Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal, north of these spots.

WHAT	This location is best for all runway 30 departures. Runway 12 arrivals are visible from the back of the Hampton Inn parking lot.

TIME	March to late October from sunrise to mid-morning is the best time to spot. Any other time is completely backlit.

MISC.	Please note that security does patrol this area frequently (even on weekends). I’ve never had any trouble spotting here, but I highly discourage tresspassing on private property to get closer to the runway (i.e. the back of the Frito Lay Distribution center)

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm is sufficient

	Spot #4 – Cargo Terminal – FedEx Aircraft sitting on stands
WHERE	This location is only accessible by bike on the Bay Trail. One option is to park at the Hampton Inn and bike south on the Bay Trail along Harbor Bay Parkway and Ron Cowan Parkway. Another option is to park at the Holiday Inn. Exit at 98th Avenue and head west. Make a left onto Airport Access Road and then a left into the Holiday Inn parking lot. Cross Doolittle Drive and follow the Bay Trail. Make a left to cross John Glenn Drive and then follow the Bay Trail along Ron Cowan Parkway. There are multiple possible angles along the cargo terminal.

WHAT	FedEx parks a variety of aircraft at the stands that are visible (all except for the 777).

TIME	The best time is morning, but since planes are parked in multiple positions and there are many angles along the Bay Trail, it is possible to spot here at any time.

MISC.	There tends to be a lot of clutter in front of planes here. Security has never been an issue here, but do be aware that this bike path is frequently trafficked. Make sure that all of your possessions are off the trail so that other cyclists can get through. Since this location is along a trail that is along the side of a road, there are no bathrooms nor places to get food.

FOCAL LENGTH	20-200mm, depending on the position of aircraft

	Spot #5 – Bay Trail along Metropolitan Golf Course – 28L/28R arrivals
WHERE	This location is only accessible by bike or by foot on the Bay Trail (you cannot drive directly to this location with your car). One option is to park at the Hampton Inn and bike south on the Bay Trail along Harbor Bay Parkway and Ron Cowan Parkway. Cross John Glenn Avenue and then follow the Bay Trail until you get to the desired location. Another option is to park at the Holiday Inn. Exit at 98th Avenue and head west. Make a left onto Airport Access Road and then a left into the Holiday Inn parking lot. Cross Doolittle Drive and follow the Bay Trail until you get to the desired location. A final option where you can park on public property is Oyster Bay. Follow directions to the San Leandro Marina except make a right onto Neptune Drive from Marina Boulevard. Continue down Neptune Drive until it dead ends at Oyster Bay. The bike ride is about 2 miles. (Note that Oyster Bay is a possible spotting location, but the San Leandro Marina gets you significantly closer to planes and departures from runway 30 are slightly obscured by bushes and a seawall).

WHAT	All arrivals for runway 28L/28R. Fleetweek performers will most commonly used 28L (this location is not well known so it will not be crowded).

TIME	Since you can be on any side of the arrivals, lighting is fine all throughout the day.

MISC.	There are no restrooms or food here. There are also no benches along the trail here. Security hasn’t been an issue

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm is sufficient, but wide angle lenses can be used if close enough.

	Spot #6 – Center Median on Harbor Bay Parkway/Sidewalk along Harbor Bay Parkway – 28L/28R departures
WHERE	From I-880 freeway, exit 98th Avenue and head west (if heading north make a left, and if heading south, make a right). Continue down 98th Avenue and make a right hand turn onto Airport Access Road. Make a left onto Hegenberger Avenue (another option is just to exit Hegenberger Avenue and then head south on Hegenberger) and then a right onto Doolittle Drive. Continue along Doolittle Drive down the entire length of the North Field and then make a left turn onto Harbor Bay Parkway. Park along Harbor Bay Parkway close to Maitland Drive on the side of the golf course. You can walk to position yourself depending on lighting and which runway is in use. This location is extremely crowded during Fleetweek especially when the Blue Angels depart. J-walking onto the center median is common during Fleetweek, however is not recommended any other time of year.

WHAT	All 28L/28R departures. Fleetweek performers will most commonly use 28L

TIME	Since you can be on any side of the arrivals, lighting is fine all throughout the day.

MISC.	There are no restrooms nor food here. Security has never been an issue, but again j-walking onto the center median is only encouraged during Fleetweek. If you are watching Fleetweek performers takeoff, it is highly recommended that you bring some sort of ear protection.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm is sufficient, but wide angle lenses can be used if close enough.

	Spot #7 – The North Field
WHERE	From I-880 freeway, exit 98th Avenue and head west (if heading north make a left, and if heading south, make a right). Continue down 98th Avenue and make a right hand turn onto Airport Access Road. Make a left onto Hegenberger Avenue (another option is just to exit Hegenberger Avenue and then head south on Hegenberger) and then a right onto Doolittle Drive. Continue along Doolittle Drive and then make a left turn onto Swan Way. Make a left onto Earhart Road and park in the JetSuiteX lot. An alternative is to park at the Oakland Aviation Museum parking lot, in which you would make a right turn onto Earhart Road.

WHAT	JetSuiteX, Kaiser air aircraft, miscellaneous charters, and corporate aircraft can all be photographed through chain-link fences. The Blue Angels will not park in a visible location anymore during Fleetweek, however C-130’s tend to park on the Kaiser Ramp

TIME	Morning is best, but aircraft are parked in multiple positions.

MISC.	Be quick when spotting here. Get your shot and leave as Alameda County Sheriff does often patrol the area. Do not hang around too long and do not bring a ladder. Security is more relaxed during Fleetweek, but it is still not wise to bring a ladder during this time.

FOCAL LENGTH	A wide angle lens is best here.

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Trent Jaxson

3 years ago

Love spot #3 considering how easy it is to get to! Not a local to Oakland but the ferry service between Downtown San Francisco – Harbor Bay makes this easily accessible without even using the crowded bay bridge. It is also by FAR the best spot to go to, especially when the planes land right in front of you during a period of reverse ops.