La Paz El Alto Intl. Airport - Spotting Guide

La Paz El Alto Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide

July 20, 2025 - last modified on July 20, 2025

The airport of La Paz is located in El Alto and at 4061 meters above sea level. It is the highest international airport in the world. Due to the high altitude, it mainly sees domestic flights operated by Boliviana de Aviación, EcoJet and TAMep. The only international airlines serving La Paz are Avianca and LATAM both using their A320s. Because the city has only one airport, general aviation traffic can also be spotted frequently. Additionally, the Bolivian Air Force has a major base in La Paz and some of their Hercules are flying almost every day.

Written by Sebastian Arndt. Last Update: June 2025

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
10R/28L	4000m asphalt
10L/28R	2050m grass
Terminals	One terminal for all flights
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed and best avoided, because it would attract too much attention.
Car/Public Transport	All spots can be reached by public transport, however taxis (especially Uber and InDrive) are recommended.
Drinks/Food	Everything can be found inside the terminal.
Hotels	No airport hotel, but a lot of accomodation can be found near the airport.
Season	The dry season lasts from April to October and is the preferred time for planespotting.
Security	El Alto is the most dangerous area in Bolivia. Always be attentive. Spots 1-4 are generally safe, because police is present all the time. Spot 5 is best reached by taxi and should be totally avoided on Thursdays and Sundays when there is the market.
Runway Usage
General Info	Due to noise abatement overhead the city of La Paz, runway 10R is mainly used for arrivals, while runway 28L is usually used for departures.

	Spot #1 – Car Park
WHERE	From the arrivals area in the terminal, turn right and enter the car park. Continue to the end of the car park. It is a public car park and you can park your car there as well. There are roofs, which provide shelter from the sun.

WHAT	Best for taxiway shoots. Runway can be spotted in the distance but its very far.

TIME	All day for the runway. Sunrise until 3 pm for the taxiway.

MISC.	Heat haze is a major problem here for runway photos. The grass next to the taxiway can block out the gear. The fence is very high and you can only shoot through the holes in the fence.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-300 mm Taxiway 738 = 120mm

	Spot #2 – Cargo Area
WHERE	Leave the terminal from the check in area and turn left. Head towards the cargo area, where there is a gate to the cargo area with a view onto the apron and runway.

WHAT	Best for apron/taxiway shoots. Runway can be spotted in the distance but its very far.

TIME	All day.

MISC.	Heat haze is a major problem here for runway photos. There is a limited view and you have to keep the camera ready since you will not be able to see the traffic approaching. It is possible that security will send you away from this spot.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400 mm Beech1900 = 150 mm

	Spot #3 – Toll Station
WHERE	This spot is located along the main access road for the airport between the terminal and the toll station. Several old aircraft are stored at the airport and can be spotted from that road.

WHAT	Old stored aircraft. Arrivals for runway 28L and 10R departures can be spotted here as well.

TIME	All day depending on the aircraft.

MISC.	Heat haze may be a problem. Once you walk behind the toll station, there will be no police around anymore and it is recommended to be careful in that area. A couple of concrete decorations (1-2 meters high) can be easily climbed and from up there, you can shoot over the fence.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400 mm

	Spot #4 – Terminal
WHERE	This spot is located airside near gate N3 and can only be accessed with a valid boarding pass, either domestic or international.

WHAT	Apron, taxiway and runway.

TIME	All day depending on the angle.

MISC.	The windows are tinted. All facilities are nearby since you are inside the terminal.

FOCAL LENGTH	15-400 mm

	Spot #5 – Museo Aeroespacial de la Fuerza Aérea Boliviana
WHERE	Just search for the museum on google maps. All taxi drivers know this place and will happily take you there.

WHAT	The museum houses several former aircraft of the Bolivian Air Force.

TIME	All day depending on the angle.

MISC.	The museum is open Monday to Friday 09 am until 12:30 pm and 02:30 pm until 06:30 pm. More information can be found on their website https://museoaeroespacialfab.wixsite.com/oficial.

FOCAL LENGTH	15-50 mm