What you're seeing over Anchorage
Over Anchorage, the big jet overhead is very likely a freighter. Ted Stevens Anchorage International, on the shore of Cook Inlet west of downtown, is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world, because it sits almost exactly on the great-circle routes between Asia and North America. Freighters stop to refuel and swap cargo on the way between cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo and hubs such as Memphis, Louisville, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Anchorage is also aviation country in a way few cities are. Alaska has more pilots per person than any other state, and the city has three very different airports within a few miles: the international airport, Lake Hood Seaplane Base right beside it, the busiest seaplane base in the world, and Merrill Field near downtown, full of bush planes. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, on the city's northern edge, flies F-22 Raptors and C-17s. Follow it all on the live map, and see our guide on how ADS-B works to understand why so many Alaskan small planes broadcast their positions.
Airports near Anchorage
- cargoANCTed Stevens Anchorage International Airport
PANC · 4 miles southwest of downtown
One of the world's busiest cargo airports, a refueling and transfer point between Asia and North America. Live traffic at ANC ↗ - general aviationLHDLake Hood Seaplane Base
PALH · 4 miles southwest of downtown
The busiest seaplane base in the world, beside the international airport. Live traffic at LHD ↗ - general aviationMRIMerrill Field
PAMR · near downtown
A busy general aviation airport just east of downtown, home to hundreds of small aircraft. Live traffic at MRI ↗ - militaryEDFJoint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
PAED · 4 miles northeast of downtown
A major Air Force and Army base on the city's northern edge flying F-22s and C-17s. Live traffic at EDF ↗
Common traffic over Anchorage
Cargo dominates ANC. FedEx and UPS run big operations, and Atlas Air, Kalitta, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Korean Air Cargo, China Airlines, EVA Air and others fly 747-8 freighters, 747-400Fs, 777Fs and 767 freighters through on transpacific routes. Freighter traffic runs around the clock, with clusters tied to departure times in Asia.
On the passenger side, Alaska Airlines is by far the largest carrier, flying 737s to Seattle, the Lower 48 and rural Alaska towns, along with dedicated 737 freighters that serve the state's roadless communities. Delta, United, American and others add seasonal summer flights, and regional carriers fly turboprops and Cessna Caravans to villages across the state.
ANC has three runways: two parallel ones running east-west and one running north-south. Heavy freighters often depart to the west or north over Cook Inlet, which keeps the loudest jets over the water. Lake Hood floatplanes and wheeled bush planes, many of them Super Cubs, Beavers and Cessna 172s, take off right beside the airliners, and Merrill Field adds a constant stream of small planes over midtown.
At JBER, the 3rd Wing flies F-22 Raptors and C-17s, and Army helicopters operate from the Richardson side. Military transports from the Lower 48 and Pacific bases stop frequently. Medevac flights, which are vital across roadless Alaska, use both airplanes and helicopters. In winter, long darkness and snow make operations challenging, while summer's midnight sun brings round-the-clock flying.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 747-8 / 747-8F
four-engine jumbo jet
Boeing 767-300 / 767-300ER / 767-300F
widebody twin-jet
Boeing 737-900 / 737-900ER
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Cessna 208 Caravan
single-engine utility turboprop
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
single-engine piston airplane
Piper PA-28 Cherokee family
single-engine piston airplane
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
military strategic airlifter
Plane-spotting tips for Anchorage
Point Woronzof, on the coastal road west of the airport, is Anchorage's most famous spotting place, with heavy freighters climbing out over Cook Inlet just overhead and views across the water to the mountains. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail runs along the shore nearby, and Earthquake Park offers more views. The Alaska Aviation Museum, on the shore of Lake Hood, is a great base for watching floatplanes take off and land in summer. From downtown, look west for freighters and east for Merrill Field traffic. Summer brings long evenings and great light for photos, while winter offers dramatic, snowy scenes but very short days.
Anchorage sky questions
Why are there so many cargo planes over Anchorage?
Anchorage sits close to the great-circle routes between Asia and North America, so freighters stop there to refuel and transfer cargo, making Ted Stevens Anchorage International one of the busiest cargo airports in the world.
What is Lake Hood?
Lake Hood Seaplane Base, beside the international airport, is the busiest seaplane base in the world, with floatplanes taking off and landing on the water in summer and wheeled or ski planes using its gravel strip.
What are the fighter jets over Anchorage?
They are F-22 Raptors from the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, on the city's northern edge.
Nearby cities
Planes over Seattle (1435 mi) · Planes over Portland (1540 mi) · Planes over Sacramento (1979 mi) · Planes over San Francisco (2005 mi)