Baltimore Washington Spotting Guide

Situated 30 miles north of Washington, Baltimore Washington, or BWI Airport (as it is commonly known) is a busy hub airport which attracts large numbers of passengers through its association with the nation’s capital, and also serves a large population in the surrounding area.

It is an airport which provides for spotters and those wishing to enjoy the aircraft action, which is quite rare in the USA.

Airlines and Operators at BWI

BWI airport has become a busy hub for Southwest Airlines, its principal carrier.

All other mainline and low-cost carriers are also present, including:

• Allegiant Air
• American Airlines
• American Eagle
• Delta Air Lines
• Delta Connection
• Frontier Airlines
• JetBlue
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines
• United Express

International flights are provided by carriers such as Air Canada Express, British Airways, Copa Airlines, Icelandair, and PLAY.

Airport Layout

BWI airport has three runways.

A large, five-concourse terminal area sits between them in the centre of the complex.

To the north of the terminal, partially visible from the access roads, is the cargo area. It is dominated by FedEx Express/Feeder, UPS Airlines and Amazon Air which has a hub operation here.

Baltimore Washington Spotting Locations

1. Terminal Observation Gallery
   Unusually for a US airport, BWI has a dedicated viewing park and observation gallery. The observation gallery is within the terminal between concourses B and C. It is not airside, so anyone can go there.This spot is best for logging aircraft, but photography is possible through glass.
   
2. Thomas A. Dixon, Jr. Aircraft Observation Area
   The dedicated viewing park on the south side of the airport is close to the threshold of runway 33L. It is reached by taking Aviation Blvd around the perimeter from the terminal, and then Dorsey Road which acts as the southern perimeter road.The spot is good for photography throughout the day when arrivals are on 33L (as they mostly are). It has plenty of parking space and is free.

Do you know any good spotting locations at Baltimore Washington / BWI airport? If so, leave a comment below!

Airport Spotting Guides USA

For more information on spotting at BWI as well as over 400 other airports across all 50 states, get your copy of our book Airport Spotting Guides USA.

This guide is perfect for planning your trips, as well as taking on the road with you. It includes maps, descriptions of spotting locations and the aircraft you’ll see, as well as tips on spotting hotels and aviation museum to visit.

Get Your Copy Today