With almost 1,2 Mio passengers in 2019, Innsbruck in Tirol is the third biggest airport in Austria. Most time of the year it is not worth to visit this airport as the traffic movements are very low. But in the winter season, many ski-charter flights, mainly from the UK by TUI, Easyjet, Jet2, British Airways as well as the Netherlands with lots of Transavias and only a few from Scandinavia by SAS and Finnair cause busy days with full ramps on saturdays and sundays – during the week, the traffic is very little, even in winters. But Austrian Airlines as local airline offers regular flights on using their narrowbody aircraft A320 and Embraer 195. General Aviation traffic (mostly Diamond and aquilla aircraft) is another main pillar for the airport, especially in summer. But you may also see some bigger biz jets such as Gulfstreams rarely, more often you will have Embraer 300 Phenoms or Cessna 525s in winter.

On Winter days the ramp is crowded with single aisle aircraft. The variety of airlines and aircraft types is declining the last years unluckily, but the still high number of movements and the beautiful scenery with the mountains in the back makes it worth to visit Innsbruck on these winter days. You will be getting unique shots which you can rarely get in Europe.

You can always check the actual traffic/situation on the WEBCAM.

Written by Julian Mittnacht, Severin Hackenberger, Patrick Weis, Günter Bair, Thomas Winkelhofer and Christoph Plank. Last change: Januar 2024 (all spots checked)

Rating (winter season only)
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
08/26	2.000 m (6.562 ft)
Terminals	Single Terminal for all operations.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not really needed and there are also pretty many photo holes in the fence. But may be useful on busy days as safety option if all holes are occupied.
Car/Public Transport	A car is not really needed as the public transport is also quite good due to the airport’s nearness to the university. If you are good by foot you can walk from the terminal to the southern locations.
Restrooms	Inside the Terminal.
Drinks/Food	Inside the Terminal and the supermarket, which is tagged on the map.
Hotels	Hotel Penz is next to the Terminal.
Season	Only recommended between December and March on Saturday & Sundays (Winter Charter days). Check the airport website for a winter timetable in PDF format or the actual flight information. Off season there are only a handful of schedule flights a day!
Runway Usage
08/26	The runway is used in all directions and they mix it pretty often when the ramp is full.

	Spot #1 – Visitor Terrace – All 08/26 movements + ramp
WHERE	There is a visitor terrace, open for public, at the terminal. Once inside follow the signs (“Besucherterrasse”) to the upper level. It’s next to the one and only restaurant inside the terminal. It is landslide so no boarding pass is needed.
WHAT	You will find a great overview of almost the whole apron as well as the runway. There isn’t a glass wall and you have a distinct view of the action. You won’t miss a single plane at this place as there isn’t a real taxiway parallel to the runway.
TIME	A great place for the whole day in the winter.
MISC.	The terrace is sheltered and below the terminal’s roof – thus it cannot be seen on satelite images! There are toilets and a restaurant just next to the entrance. No security checks and no admission fees.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm B737 on runway = 200mm / B738 on ramp = 60mm

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	Spot #2 – Hotel Penz parking & nearby Field – All 08/26 movements + ramp
WHERE	Walk out of the terminal and follow the road back to the city. After 5 minutes you will see the Hotel Penz on the right side. On the left there is the hotel parking. Cross this area until you will reach a dirt road. Arriving by car park on the Hotel Penz Parking lot or along the ‘Fürstenstreet’ where parking is free of charge during the weekend along the roadside. Now you have three options: 1. gravel road along the carpark: here you can nicely shoot 26 arrivals with a bit fence in the bottom plus 08 departures nicely, but you will not have a free view onto the taxiway or ramp. 2. along the fence in the west: here you can only see the ramp and taxiway behind, so it is a nice spot for face to faces of taxiing aircraft as well as aircraft leaving the runway early after 08 arrival. Ladder needed. Due to small aircraft and containers in front the view is often tricky here though. 3. along the fence in the north: here you can see the runway head/turning point thus all 26 movements. But 08 movements may be quite high or off the runway already. Ladder needed.
WHAT	From the 3 options mentioned above you can basically see all movements at the airport: arrivals and departures in both directions plus the ramp with taxiway.
TIME	In the winter its a good spot for the whole day.
MISC.	Walk back to the terminal for the facilities you need. Ladder needed along the fence.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm 2.1: C130H = 240mm 2.2: A320 turning in = 160mm 2.3: B738 on runway = 95mm

1. Gravelroad along the carpark:

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2. Fence in the west:

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3. Fence in the north:

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	Spot #3 – Perimeter fence – All movements
WHERE	Follow the road signs to Garmisch/Zirl on the 171. The road is parallel to the runway. After you have crossed a roundabout, continue westwards, pass the camp ground and you will see a parking lot to your right (as of January 2023 the former parking is closed and is used for construction materials). Park your car here (you have to pay 1€ for 30 minuted, maximum fee is 8€, limited space available) or at the CYTA Shopping world on the opposite side of the River Inn (free of charge there). Walk from one of the parking lots for around 15 -20 minutes (1,3 km) along the river Inn to get on the other side of the airport (footpath tagged on the map). From the boat house (next spot) continue along the perimeter fence for another 5-10 minutes (500meters) to the corner of the taxiway where you find plenty of photo holes. Or walk on along the fence as marked on our map… You have plenty of different photo positions at this location! You can also walk from the terminal along some farm tracks to the location. But parking is much more expensive there (3,5 eur/h, 35 maximum daily).
WHAT	All movements. For 26 arrivals use the eastern point because most planes exit the runway earlier and don´t use the turning point. There are plenty of opportunities and holes in the fence so just find your preferred position!
TIME	In the winter its a good spot for the whole day. Both are accessible from mid-September to the end of May. In June, July and mostly August, you can expect the western spot to be relatively overgrown with stinging nettels and other weeds. Getting into the spot is also not easy, because the corncobs are growing very high and crowded at that time.
MISC.	Some spotters have been asked by the local farmers to please don’t cross the fields. So take care when going to the holes and please just pass the field’s edges as the farmer is really annoyed that some spotters destroy his fields and plants! Show respect, behave friendly and keep a low profile. Otherwise there is nothing close but some supermarkets and fast food restaurants can be found at the CYTA Shopping World.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-300mm

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	Spot #4 – Boathouse Kranebitter Strand – 08 Movements + 26 Departures
WHERE	Use the same direction as for the previous spot. Bot stop at the small boathouse at the Inn river, next text to the 08 threshold.  During the summer you can go to the sand banks at the Inn River for a different angle. There is a crash gate with two holes just next to it, so you can catch the 08 departures too as the turning point for the aircraft is in front of you or climb up a small concreted building (approximate 1,70m high) just next to the holes to photograph over the fence. Otherwise use a 2-3 steps ladder to clear the fence.
WHAT	All 08 arrivals and departures. For 26 departures I would walk a little bit to the spot 3 point as the planes rotating earlier. You can shot over the fence.
TIME	From 08:00-16:00 during the summer in the winter all day. During the Summer you can go to the Sand Banks as well. In Winter this is flooded
MISC.	Otherwise there is nothing close but some supermarkets and fast food restaurants can be found at the CYTA Shopping World. Some benches near the house.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-250 mm

From the Boathouse:

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From the sandbanks “Kranebitter Strand”:

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	Spot #5 – Runway head – 26 rotates
WHERE	Follow the instructions of spot 3/4 above and just stop walking once you have reached the runway head. There you can easily stand at the fence.
WHAT	This spot offers the famous views onto aircraft rotating runway 26 before the mountains.
TIME	Best in the afternoons – especially on saturday or sunday with lots of traffic so you may get lucky and shoot a rotating aircraft with an approaching one in the back.
MISC.	Easier with ladder, but there are also selfmade holes in the fence here (see below). Otherwise haze may be an issue on hot days. Nothing nearby, but some supermarkets and fast food restaurants can be found at the CYTA Shopping World.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm

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	Spot #6 – Hans-Frösinger-Promenade – All 08/26 movements
WHERE	Use the same direction as for spot 3 and 4 but stop at north of the runway. You can either stay on the bridge (TUI Family was shot from here) or go further down to the river and fence (rest was taken there).
WHAT	Runway 08 arrivals and departures plus 26 departures as well. But actually you get everything here.
TIME	Only useable on early summer mornings or late summer evenings as well as during the night. In winter not useable.
MISC.	Easier with ladder to clear the fence for taxiing aircrafts if you are down at the river, but you can also stand on the street next to the trees – there you are a bit higher and this clears the fence as well. Otherwise there is nothing close but some supermarkets and fast food restaurants can be found at the CYTA Shopping World. Haze can be an issue in summer
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

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View from down close to the fence:

	Spot #7 – Container – All movements
WHERE	The spot is located at the runway’s northern side and can be reached from “Kranebitter Allee” (also known as “Bundesstrasse 171”), which runs north of the spot and airport fence. There is a sign at the beginning of the unnamed road, which connects the above mentioned busy road and the spot/fence, which says that it’s only permitted to use the street and enter the following area, if you are a visitor of the gliding club next to the spot. But nobody cares about this sign and you can easily pass this point, without any worries normally. So follow this unnamed street till you have reached the fence and then just park your infront of the fence or at the parking of the nearby building. Then you have different options for your exact photo position at this location as there are a hand full of photoholes in the fence as well as a container and kinda big “ladder”, which is normally used by spotters, on the parkingarea infront of the fence.
WHAT	From here you can see all activities on the runway (although you can’t see the whole runway; western end is covered by objects) and on the apron on the runway’s southern side. Apart from this, you’ll be able to see some taxiways from here.
TIME	Only useable on early summer mornings or late summer evenings as well as during the night or on grey days. In winter unuseable.
MISC.	Ladder nort really needed as there are photoholes and a ladder nearby , so you don’t need any object to get over the fence. Therefore there are no facilities with food/drinks/restrooms directly at the spot, but a nearby supermarket is tagged on the map.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300 mm A321 on runway (90 degree-shot) = 75mm / CL600 on runway = 140mm

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	Spot #8 – Innsbruck Hötting Railway Station – 26 arrivals
WHERE	This spot is located on the training space of a local driving school next to the Innsbruck Hötting Railway Station. You can park your car as marked on the map or on own risk directly at the marked spot. The train station “Innsbruck Hötting” is just around the corner.
WHAT	All arrivals on runway 26.
TIME	All day in Winter. In summer from 08:00-16:00
MISC.	Mc Donald´sand some food shops are not far away.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-330 mm