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The main airport serving the city of Phoenix is another great place to watch and photograph aircraft. The layout is similar to Minneapolis except that here, the parking is actually above the terminal whereas at MSP, the parking garage is free-standing in the center of the complex between the terminal concourses. Here, you get a great view of activity on both north and south runways. There are 3 terminals with garages – T2, T3, and T4.
T4 handles US Airways on the north side and mostly Southwest Airlines on the south side. It is also the highest garage, with the rooftop level about 9 floors up giving a great view of the ramp & gate areas and north and south runways. T3 is a shorter garage but still offers the same great view. This terminal handles other airlines such as Delta and American. From the east end of T3 (and west end of T4) you’ll get a great view of the taxiway bridge which is where aircraft cross from the north side to the south side. T2 is not above the actual terminal; it is a free-standing garage with only 2 levels. From the upper level you can get a great view of the north runway. You will not be able to see the south runway from here. Each of these garages are popular with locals who like to watch planes, safe, well-lit, and the airport security is friendly. As far as photography, since the runways are east-west you will only have good light for photographing anything on the north side all year – the south side may be backlit. Not to despair, there is another great spot for catching south side action.
Adjacent to the south side of the airport there is a river and on the south bank there is a spot with a perfect view of traffic departing or landing on the south runway. To get here, take 143 south to University, then go west to S. 40th St. Make a right here and go a couple blocks to the end where there will be a dirt berm. This is the top of the river bank. This spot is popular with locals who bring their dogs to run down and play in the normally dry riverbed. I also met several plane watchers and a couple of photographers here. The light here would be good for photographing south runway activity at any time of the year.
The variety of aircraft here is not too good – it is mostly Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s, but there may be a few others at times, such as the British Airways 747 arriving each afternoon. There is an Arizona Air National Guard base on the south side which operates KC135s and other military jets have been known to drop in on practice flights.
There are other smaller airports in the Phoenix area too including Scottsdale, which is mostly business jets and has at least one nice viewing area, and Falcon Field in Mesa, which has a Commemorative Air Force museum. Hopefully on my next trip I can do a review on those.
Click for photos from the T2 garage
Click for photos from the T4 garage
Click for photos from the river bank location