What you're seeing over Jacksonville
Over Jacksonville, the plane overhead is as likely to be Navy as airline. Jacksonville International, about 13 miles north of downtown, handles the city's passenger flights, with Southwest, Delta, American and United carrying most travelers. But the city is also one of the Navy's most important aviation centers, with Naval Air Station Jacksonville on the St. Johns River south of downtown and Naval Station Mayport at the river's mouth.
The aircraft you'll see most from NAS Jacksonville is the P-8A Poseidon, a maritime patrol jet built on the Boeing 737 airframe, so a gray 737 flying low over the river is very likely a Navy crew in training. Mayport flies MH-60R helicopters that deploy aboard destroyers and cruisers. The Florida Air National Guard's fighter wing is based at JAX, and Cecil Airport, a former Navy master jet base on the west side, is now a spaceport and maintenance center. Our guide to telling military aircraft from airliners helps with the gray ones, which are easy to mistake for ordinary 737s at a distance.
Airports near Jacksonville
- commercialJAXJacksonville International Airport
KJAX · 11 miles north of downtown
The city's main passenger airport, north of downtown, also home to the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing. Live traffic at JAX ↗ - militaryNIPNAS Jacksonville
KNIP · 7 miles south of downtown
A major Navy air station on the St. Johns River and the home of the Navy's P-8A Poseidon community. Live traffic at NIP ↗ - militaryNRBNaval Station Mayport
KNRB · 14 miles east of downtown
A Navy base at the mouth of the St. Johns River with MH-60R helicopter squadrons. Live traffic at NRB ↗ - relieverCRGJacksonville Executive at Craig Airport
KCRG · 8 miles east of downtown
A general aviation and business-jet airport on the Southside. Live traffic at CRG ↗ - general aviationVQQCecil Airport
KVQQ · 15 miles southwest of downtown
A former Navy master jet base on the west side, now a licensed spaceport and aircraft maintenance center. Live traffic at VQQ ↗
Common traffic over Jacksonville
Southwest, Delta, American and United fly most of JAX's airline traffic, with 737s, A320-family jets and regional jets connecting to their hubs. JetBlue, Allegiant, Frontier and others add more. FedEx, UPS and Amazon freighters serve JAX.
JAX has two runways, one running east-west and one running northwest-southeast. With prevailing east and southwest winds depending on the season, the airport switches between them, and arrivals and departures cross the north side and the area around the St. Johns River. Downtown, about 13 miles south, mostly sees aircraft on arrival and departure routes at moderate altitudes.
Military flying is the big story:
- NAS Jacksonville hosts the Navy's P-8A Poseidon squadrons and training unit, plus MH-60 helicopters and maintenance facilities. The P-8 is based on the 737-800 airframe, so it can look like an airliner at first glance.
- Mayport flies MH-60R Seahawks that deploy with the fleet.
- The Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing flies fighters from JAX, long the F-15 Eagle.
- Cecil Airport handles aircraft maintenance, including military jets, and has been licensed as a spaceport.
Helicopters include UF Health and other medevac services, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office aviation, and news crews. Overflights between the Northeast and South Florida pass high over the city along the coast, and summer thunderstorms often force reroutes and holding.
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
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
military utility helicopter
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
military tactical airlifter
Plane-spotting tips for Jacksonville
The roads around JAX's perimeter, especially near the runway ends along Duval Road and Pecan Park Road, give views of arrivals and departures. For Navy aircraft, the riverfront parks along Roosevelt Boulevard near NAS Jacksonville, and the St. Johns River shoreline in Ortega, often give good views of P-8s in the landing pattern. Mayport's helicopters can often be seen from the beaches at Hanna Park and the Mayport ferry landing. From downtown, look north toward JAX and south toward NAS Jacksonville. Summer afternoon storms build quickly, so mornings usually have the clearest skies. The Jacksonville Beach pier is another good place to watch Mayport helicopters and coastal traffic.
Jacksonville sky questions
What are the gray 737s flying over the St. Johns River?
They are usually Navy P-8A Poseidons, maritime patrol jets based on the Boeing 737-800, from NAS Jacksonville, home of the Navy's P-8 community.
What are the helicopters near the beaches?
Many are Navy MH-60R Seahawks from Naval Station Mayport, at the mouth of the St. Johns River, which deploy aboard destroyers and cruisers.
What are the fighter jets at Jacksonville's airport?
They belong to the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing, based at Jacksonville International, which has long flown the F-15 Eagle.
Nearby cities
Planes over Orlando (125 mi) · Planes over Tampa (172 mi) · Planes over Atlanta (285 mi) · Planes over Miami (328 mi)