Airplane noise changes mostly because of the wind: airports switch runways to take off and land into it, which moves the flight paths over different neighborhoods. To complain, contact the airport’s noise office, not air traffic control. Have the date and time ready. To make it quieter at home, start with the windows.
🏠 New: Check if your house is under a flight path → See how much of the day planes fly over, and how high.
Why it’s louder some days
The wind changed
Planes take off and land into the wind. When the wind shifts, the airport flips runways and the paths move, sometimes right over your street. See which runway is in use right now →
Low clouds and cold air
Low clouds and cool, calm air reflect and carry sound, so the same plane can sound louder on an overcast morning than on a clear afternoon.
Busy times of day
Airlines bunch flights into “banks,” especially early morning and early evening, so you may hear a plane every minute or two for an hour and then very little.
Storms and delays
When storms block normal routes, controllers send planes around them, which can put traffic over areas that rarely hear it.
It might be something else
Helicopters, small training planes and military flights follow different rules and routes. See what’s flying over you right now →
Want to see the usual paths over your town? Flight paths by town →
How to file a noise complaint
- Note the details. The date, time, and what you heard (a jet, a helicopter, how low). If you can, look up the plane on our live map while it’s overhead.
- Find the right airport. It’s usually the closest big airport, but low planes may belong to a smaller airport nearby. Use the list below.
- Use the airport’s form or phone line. Many airports log complaints automatically and show you the exact flight.
- Still stuck? If the airport can’t help, the FAA takes noise complaints and questions through its national noise portal ↗, and each FAA region has a noise ombudsman ↗.
Find your airport’s noise office
| Airport | Where to complain |
|---|---|
| ATLAtlanta Hartsfield-JacksonAtlanta, GA | Noise comments form ↗City of Atlanta Department of Aviation |
| AUSAustin-BergstromAustin, TX | Noise program (report form) ↗City of Austin Department of Aviation |
| BNANashville InternationalNashville, TN | Noise complaint form ↗Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority |
| BOSBoston LoganBoston, MA | Noise complaints ↗617-561-3333Massport |
| BURHollywood BurbankBurbank, CA | Noise monitoring ↗(800) 441-0409 (24 hours)Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority |
| BWIBaltimore/WashingtonBaltimore, MD | Aircraft noise (WebTrak) ↗Maryland Aviation Administration |
| CLTCharlotte DouglasCharlotte, NC | Flight tracker and complaints ↗704-359-4327 (704-359-HEAR)City of Charlotte Aviation Department |
| DALDallas Love FieldDallas, TX | Noise Lab (complaints) ↗(214) 671-8096City of Dallas Department of Aviation |
| DCAReagan NationalWashington, DC | Submit a noise complaint ↗Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority |
| DENDenver InternationalDenver, CO | Noise and airspace ↗(303) 342-2380 (24/7)City and County of Denver |
| DFWDallas Fort Worth InternationalDallas–Fort Worth, TX | Aircraft noise office ↗972-973-3192DFW International Airport |
| DTWDetroit MetroDetroit, MI | Noise compatibility ↗(734) 942-3222 (24 hours)Wayne County Airport Authority |
| EWRNewark LibertyNewark, NJ | Submit a noise complaint ↗1-800-225-1071Port Authority of NY & NJ |
| FLLFort Lauderdale-HollywoodFort Lauderdale, FL | Noise information ↗954-359-2366Broward County Aviation Department |
| FXEFort Lauderdale ExecutiveFort Lauderdale, FL | Aircraft noise reporting ↗954-828-6666 (24 hours)City of Fort Lauderdale |
| HNLHonolulu (Daniel K. Inouye)Honolulu, HI | Airport FAQ (noise comments) ↗1-888-697-7813Hawaii DOT Airports Division |
| HOUHouston HobbyHouston, TX | Noise office ↗1-281-233-3900Houston Airports |
| HPNWestchester CountyWhite Plains, NY | Noise complaint form ↗(914) 939-8484Westchester County |
| IADWashington DullesDulles, VA | Submit a noise complaint ↗Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority |
| IAHHouston Bush IntercontinentalHouston, TX | Noise office ↗1-281-233-3900Houston Airports |
| JAXJacksonville InternationalJacksonville, FL | Noise desk ↗904-741-2015Jacksonville Aviation Authority |
| JFKNew York JFKNew York, NY | Submit a noise complaint ↗1-800-225-1071Port Authority of NY & NJ |
| LASHarry Reid (Las Vegas)Las Vegas, NV | Contact page (noise hotline) ↗702-261-3694 (24 hours)Clark County Department of Aviation |
| LAXLos Angeles InternationalLos Angeles, CA | Noise comments ↗(424) 646-6473Los Angeles World Airports |
| LGANew York LaGuardiaNew York, NY | Submit a noise complaint ↗1-800-225-1071Port Authority of NY & NJ |
| LGBLong BeachLong Beach, CA | Noise office ↗(562) 573-9842City of Long Beach |
| MCOOrlando InternationalOrlando, FL | Noise abatement ↗407-825-2003 · toll-free 866-646-6473Greater Orlando Aviation Authority |
| MDWChicago MidwayChicago, IL | Noise complaints ↗1-800-914-8537 (Chicago residents: 311)Chicago Department of Aviation |
| MIAMiami InternationalMiami, FL | Noise abatement ↗305-876-7526 · [email protected]Miami-Dade Aviation Department |
| MSPMinneapolis–St. PaulMinneapolis, MN | File a noise complaint ↗612-726-9411 (24 hours)Metropolitan Airports Commission |
| MSYNew Orleans (Louis Armstrong)New Orleans, LA | Aircraft noise comments ↗New Orleans Aviation Board |
| OAKOaklandOakland, CA | File a noise complaint ↗(510) 563-6463Port of Oakland |
| ORDChicago O’HareChicago, IL | Noise complaints ↗1-800-435-9569 (Chicago residents: 311)Chicago Department of Aviation |
| PBIPalm Beach InternationalWest Palm Beach, FL | Noise comments ↗561-244-9510Palm Beach County Department of Airports |
| PHLPhiladelphia InternationalPhiladelphia, PA | Noise office ↗(215) 937-6750City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation |
| PHXPhoenix Sky HarborPhoenix, AZ | File a concern ↗(602) 773-1093City of Phoenix Aviation Department |
| RDURaleigh-DurhamRaleigh, NC | Noise office ↗919-840-2100 ext. 3Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority |
| RSWSouthwest Florida (Fort Myers)Fort Myers, FL | Noise information ↗239-590-4800 (main line)Lee County Port Authority |
| SANSan Diego InternationalSan Diego, CA | Aircraft noise ↗(619) 400-2799San Diego County Regional Airport Authority |
| SEASeattle-TacomaSeattle, WA | Noise programs ↗(206) 787-5393 · 1-800-826-1147Port of Seattle |
| SFOSan Francisco InternationalSan Francisco, CA | Noise office ↗(650) 821-4736 · toll-free (877) 206-8290City and County of San Francisco |
| SJCSan José MinetaSan José, CA | Noise office ↗408-392-3535City of San José |
| SLCSalt Lake CitySalt Lake City, UT | Noise office ↗(801) 575-2824Salt Lake City Department of Airports |
| SNAJohn Wayne (Orange County)Santa Ana, CA | Noise events ↗(949) 252-5185County of Orange |
| TEBTeterboroTeterboro, NJ | Teterboro noise office ↗800-225-1071 · 201-288-8828Port Authority of NY & NJ |
| TPATampa InternationalTampa, FL | Noise abatement ↗(813) 870-7843 (voicemail)Hillsborough County Aviation Authority |
| VNYVan NuysLos Angeles, CA | Noise comments ↗(800) 560-0010Los Angeles World Airports |
Not on the list? Search the airport’s name with the word “noise”; most airports have a noise office or complaint form on their website.
Links go to each airport’s own official page. We checked them in November 2026; tell us if one stops working.
What actually helps at home
You can’t move the flight path, but you can cut how much of it gets inside.
Better sleep at night
A white-noise machine or a fan masks the rise and fall of engine noise, which is what usually wakes people. Soft foam earplugs help for early-morning departures.
Quieter windows
Most noise comes in through windows. Heavy “noise-reducing” curtains help a little; acoustic window inserts that fit inside the frame help much more, without replacing the windows.
Seal the gaps
Gaps around doors and windows let a surprising amount of sound in. Weatherstripping and a door sweep are cheap and take minutes to put in.
At your desk
Noise-canceling headphones are best at low, steady sounds like jet engines, so they work well for working from home under a flight path.
Shopping for a home near an airport? What to check before you buy →
Ask your airport’s noise office too: some airports run free or discounted sound-insulation programs for homes closest to the runways.
Why controllers care about this too
Air traffic controllers follow noise-abatement procedures every day, like preferred runways at night and departure turns away from neighborhoods, as long as the wind and traffic allow it. They keep the planes over your house safely apart, often dozens at a time. Thank the controllers →
Common questions
Why is airplane noise worse some days?
Airports change which runways they use based on the wind, because planes take off and land into the wind. When the wind shifts, the arrival and departure paths move, so a neighborhood that was quiet yesterday can be right under the path today. Low clouds also bounce sound back down, which can make planes sound louder.
Why are planes flying so low over my house?
Planes are lowest when they’re lined up to land or have just taken off. If you live within about 10 to 15 miles of the end of a runway, planes on approach can be only a few thousand feet up. That’s normal and set by the approach procedures, not a sign of trouble.
Who do I complain to about airplane noise?
The noise office of the airport the planes are using. Airports, not air traffic control, run noise programs: they track complaints, study flight paths and run sound-insulation programs. Find your airport in the list on this page. If the airport can’t help, the FAA has a noise ombudsman.
Does filing a noise complaint do anything?
Complaints are counted and reported, and airports use them when they review flight paths, nighttime rules and noise programs. One complaint rarely changes a route, but specific complaints (with the date, time and what you heard) carry more weight than general ones.
Can air traffic control move the planes away from my house?
Not on its own. Controllers follow published routes and noise-abatement procedures set by the FAA and the airport, and safety and the wind decide which runway is in use. Changes to flight paths go through the FAA and the airport, often with public meetings.
Are airlines allowed to fly at night?
At most U.S. airports, yes. Some airports have voluntary nighttime noise programs or preferred runways at night, and a few have stricter rules. Your airport’s noise office can tell you what applies there.