What you're seeing over Buffalo
The airliners over Buffalo are mostly going to or from Buffalo Niagara International, about ten miles east of downtown in Cheektowaga. BUF is a point-to-point airport served by Southwest, JetBlue, American, Delta, United and others, and it draws a lot of Canadian travelers from the Toronto and Niagara regions, who drive across the border for cheaper fares.
Buffalo's location on Lake Erie and the Canadian border shapes its sky. Many flights to and from Toronto Pearson pass over or near the region, and overflights between the Northeast and the Midwest cross the lake. Closer to the ground, Niagara Falls International hosts the Air Force Reserve's KC-135 tankers, and tour helicopters fly over the falls on both sides of the border. Lake-effect snow can bring sudden whiteouts in winter, though BUF is famous for staying open in heavy snow. A helicopter orbiting near the falls is almost always a sightseeing tour, and our guide to why helicopters circle covers the other reasons.
Airports near Buffalo
- commercialBUFBuffalo Niagara International Airport
KBUF · 8 miles northeast of downtown
Western New York's main airport, popular with Canadian travelers. Live traffic at BUF ↗ - militaryIAGNiagara Falls International Airport
KIAG · 16 miles north of downtown
A joint civil and military airport, home of the Air Force Reserve's 914th Air Refueling Wing. Live traffic at IAG ↗ - major hubYYZToronto Pearson International Airport
CYYZ · 66 miles northwest of downtown
Canada's busiest airport, about 60 miles northwest across Lake Ontario. Live traffic at YYZ ↗ - commercialROCFrederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport
KROC · 63 miles east of downtown
Rochester's airport, about 60 miles east. Live traffic at ROC ↗
Common traffic over Buffalo
Southwest, JetBlue, American, Delta, United and others fly most of BUF's airline traffic, with 737s, A320-family jets and regional jets connecting to hubs and leisure destinations, especially Florida. FedEx and UPS freighters serve BUF.
BUF's main runway runs northeast-southwest, with a crossing runway:
- Southwest flow, very common with prevailing southwest winds off Lake Erie: arrivals descend from the northeast over Amherst, Williamsville and Clarence, and departures climb out to the southwest over Cheektowaga toward the city.
- Northeast flow: arrivals come in from the southwest over Cheektowaga and Sloan, and departures climb out over Amherst and Clarence.
BUF's snow-removal crews are known for keeping the airport open even during heavy lake-effect storms, though visibility can drop quickly.
The Air Force Reserve's 914th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135 tankers from Niagara Falls, often on training sorties over western New York and Lake Ontario. Tour helicopters fly over Niagara Falls from both the US and Canadian sides, and some small planes offer sightseeing flights.
Toronto Pearson traffic passes near the region, and overflights between the Northeast and Chicago or Detroit cross Lake Erie at cruise altitude. Helicopters also include Mercy Flight medevac, Erie County Sheriff and news crews. Canadian air traffic control manages some of the airspace near the border.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737 MAX 8
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A320
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A321
narrowbody airliner
Embraer E175
regional jet
Bombardier CRJ900
regional jet
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
military aerial refueling tanker
Airbus H125 / AS350 Ecureuil
light single-engine helicopter
Plane-spotting tips for Buffalo
The roads around BUF's perimeter, especially near the runway ends along Genesee Street and Cayuga Road, give views of arrivals and departures. The Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, on the downtown waterfront, has military aircraft on display. Niagara Falls State Park and the Canadian side's viewing areas give close views of the tour helicopters. The Outer Harbor and Canalside downtown offer wide views over Lake Erie. Lake-effect snow can bring sudden whiteouts in winter, while summer offers long, clear evenings. The Niagara Aerospace Museum, in the former terminal at Niagara Falls International, covers the region's long history of aircraft building.
Buffalo sky questions
Why do so many Canadians fly from Buffalo?
Buffalo Niagara International is a short drive from the Toronto and Niagara regions, and many Canadian travelers cross the border for lower fares and more US routes.
What are the helicopters over Niagara Falls?
They are sightseeing tour helicopters flying from both the US and Canadian sides of the falls.
What are the big gray planes over Niagara County?
They are KC-135 tankers flown by the Air Force Reserve's 914th Air Refueling Wing, based at Niagara Falls International Airport.
Nearby cities
Planes over Cleveland (173 mi) · Planes over Pittsburgh (179 mi) · Planes over Detroit (215 mi) · Planes over Baltimore (275 mi)