What you're seeing over Birmingham
The airliners over Birmingham are mostly going to or from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International, about five miles northeast of downtown. BHM is a point-to-point airport, served by Southwest, Delta, American and United, with most flights connecting to the big hubs at Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston and Chicago.
Birmingham sits in a valley between ridges, and the airport's main runway runs northeast-southwest, so arrivals and departures cross the city's east side, the Red Mountain ridge and the neighborhoods around the airport. Many of the jets you see higher up are overflights, especially flights descending into Atlanta from the west and Texas-East Coast traffic crossing at cruise altitude. The Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135 tankers from BHM, and Shelby County Airport, south of the city, handles business jets. Plenty of those higher jets are bound for Atlanta, about 150 miles east, and are already beginning their long descent.
Airports near Birmingham
- commercialBHMBirmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
KBHM · 4 miles northeast of downtown
Alabama's largest airport, northeast of downtown, with an Air National Guard tanker wing. Live traffic at BHM ↗ - general aviationKEETShelby County Airport
KEET · 24 miles south of downtown
A general aviation and business-jet airport in Alabaster, south of Birmingham. Live traffic at KEET ↗ - general aviationKEKYBessemer Airport
KEKY · 16 miles southwest of downtown
A general aviation airport southwest of Birmingham. Live traffic at KEKY ↗ - general aviationTCLTuscaloosa National Airport
KTCL · 51 miles southwest of downtown
Tuscaloosa's airport, busy with business jets on Alabama football weekends. Live traffic at TCL ↗
Common traffic over Birmingham
Southwest, Delta, American and United fly most of BHM's airline traffic, with 737s, A320-family jets and regional jets such as the CRJ900 and E175 connecting to hubs. FedEx and UPS freighters serve BHM.
BHM's main runway runs northeast-southwest, with a crossing runway:
- Southwest flow, common with prevailing southwest winds: arrivals descend from the northeast over Center Point and Trussville, and departures climb out to the southwest over downtown and Red Mountain before turning.
- Northeast flow: arrivals come in from the southwest over the city, and departures climb out to the northeast.
Birmingham's ridges mean aircraft can appear suddenly over the hills, and departures climbing over Red Mountain are a familiar sight from Homewood and Mountain Brook.
The Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135 tankers from BHM, often on training sorties over Alabama. Overflights between Texas and the Southeast, and between the Gulf Coast and the Midwest, pass high over the region. Atlanta arrivals from the west begin their descent over eastern Alabama.
Helicopters include UAB Critical Care Transport medevac, Birmingham Police and news crews. Fall football weekends bring business jets to Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, and Talladega race weekends add more. Spring storms along the Southeast's tornado alley can bring sudden reroutes and holding.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737 MAX 8
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A320
narrowbody airliner
Bombardier CRJ900
regional jet
Embraer E175
regional jet
Bombardier CRJ700
regional jet
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
military aerial refueling tanker
Cessna Citation Excel / XLS
midsize business jet
Plane-spotting tips for Birmingham
The roads around BHM's perimeter, especially near the runway ends in the Airport Highlands and Huffman areas, give views of arrivals and departures. The Southern Museum of Flight, next to the airport, has an outdoor collection and views of the field. Vulcan Park, on top of Red Mountain, gives a sweeping view over downtown and the valley, with departures climbing past in southwest flow. Railroad Park downtown offers open views of the sky. Spring storms can bring dramatic skies, while fall offers the clearest days. On fall football weekends, the general aviation ramps at BHM and Tuscaloosa fill with business jets, which you can watch arriving from public roads near the fields.
Birmingham sky questions
What are the big gray planes at Birmingham's airport?
They are KC-135 tankers flown by the Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Air Refueling Wing, based at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International.
Why do planes fly over Red Mountain?
BHM's main runway points southwest toward downtown and Red Mountain, so departures in southwest flow climb out over the ridge.
Why are there so many high jets over Birmingham?
Birmingham sits under routes between Texas and the Southeast, and Atlanta-bound flights from the west begin their descent over Alabama.
Nearby cities
Planes over Atlanta (140 mi) · Planes over Nashville (183 mi) · Planes over Memphis (216 mi) · Planes over Louisville (332 mi)