Clearwater is within 20 miles of 3 airports with control towers: St. Petersburg Clearwater International, Tampa International and Albert Whitted. Most planes you see over Clearwater are taking off from or landing at one of them. Airports take off and land into the wind, so when the wind changes, the paths over Clearwater change too.
Right now over Clearwater
Live aircraft within about 8 miles of Clearwater, updated every 30 seconds.
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Which way the airports are landing right now
Planes take off and land into the wind. Here is the wind at each airport right now, and what it means for the planes over Clearwater.
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Arriving planes don’t fly straight to the runway. Controllers line them up like cars merging onto a highway, often 10 to 20 miles or more from the airport, and fly them along the side of the airport before turning them toward the runway. That is why a town several miles from an airport can sit right under the line of arriving planes, and why it changes when the airport switches direction.
Flight paths over Clearwater: what the recorded flights show
We’ve recorded months of flights below 10,000 feet over this area. Here’s what they show for Clearwater, and which way the wind sets the runways at each nearby airport. These are averages: any single day can be quieter or busier.
- Over the center of Clearwater, an aircraft is overhead about 2 minutes a day on average (very roughly 10 flights).
- The busiest flight path near Clearwater is about 1.4 miles east-northeast of the center of Clearwater, where an aircraft is overhead about 4 minutes a day (very roughly 25 flights), usually around 1,200 ft above the main airport.
- There: 100% low, under 4,000 ft.
- Most of them are heading east.
Which way the wind sets the runways
- St. Petersburg Clearwater International (PIE), 7.9 miles east-southeast: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the northeast (runway 4) 42% of the time and toward the north (runway 36) 21%.
- Tampa International (TPA), 16.3 miles east: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the east (runway 10) 35% of the time and toward the north (runways 1L and 1R) 30%. When TPA lands toward the east, arriving planes line up over or near Clearwater on their way in.
- Albert Whitted (SPG), 17.4 miles southeast: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the northeast (runway 7) 42% of the time and toward the north (runway 36) 22%.
Estimated from the past year’s hourly winds (Nov 2025 to Oct 2026), counting the hours with at least a light breeze. The wind leads, but controllers also weigh noise rules, traffic and runway work, so the runway in use doesn’t always match.
Is your street under a flight path? Check your exact address →
Who controls the sky over Clearwater
These air traffic control facilities keep the planes over Clearwater safely apart. Each one has a free thank-you wall.
- PIETowerSt. Pete-Clearwater Tower (PIE)Takeoffs and landings at St. Petersburg Clearwater InternationalThank them →
- TPATowerTampa Tower (TPA)Takeoffs and landings at Tampa InternationalThank them →
- SPGTowerAlbert Whitted Tower (SPG)Takeoffs and landings at Albert WhittedThank them →
- ZMAEn route centerMiami ARTCC (ZMA)Handles flights cruising high over ClearwaterThank them →
Why the flight paths over Clearwater change
The wind
Airports use the runway that points most into the wind. When the wind swings around, arrivals and departures flip to the other end of the runway, and planes can start crossing a different part of Clearwater. That often happens when a front or a line of storms moves through.
Storms
Controllers steer planes around thunderstorms, so on stormy afternoons flights can show up where you normally never see them, sometimes lower and closer together than usual.
Busy times
At busy times, controllers space arrivals a few miles apart and may extend the line of planes farther out, which can stretch the arrival path over more neighborhoods.
Training and small planes
Smaller airports nearby are home to flight schools. Student pilots practice takeoffs, landings and approaches, so you may see the same small plane circle back again and again.
Questions about aircraft noise in Clearwater
Aircraft noise is handled by the airport, not by air traffic control. Each airport (usually run by a city, county or airport authority) has its own noise office and wants to hear about specific flights, so note the date and time. The airports near Clearwater are:
- St. Petersburg Clearwater International (PIE)
- Tampa International (TPA)
- Albert Whitted (SPG)
To find the right noise office, search the airport’s name with the word “noise,” or use the FAA’s airport locator. If the airport can’t help, the FAA’s noise ombudsman can. FAA: Noise complaints and inquiries → · Find your airport’s noise office, and what helps at home →
Nearby towns
🚀 Can you see rocket launches from Clearwater? →
Every plane over Clearwater is talking to a controller. Say thanks to the people who keep them safely apart.
Common questions
How many planes fly over Clearwater a day?
Based on months of recorded flights below 10,000 feet, an aircraft is over the center of Clearwater about 2 minutes a day on average (very roughly 10 flights). The busiest nearby path, about 1.4 miles east-northeast of the center, has an aircraft overhead about 4 minutes a day (very roughly 25 flights).
Which way does PIE usually land?
Over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, the wind favored St. Petersburg Clearwater International landing toward the northeast (runway 4) 42% of the time and toward the north (runway 36) 21%. Planes take off and land into the wind, so the direction flips when the wind does.
Why are planes flying so low over Clearwater?
Planes low over Clearwater are usually landing at or taking off from one of the nearby airports, such as St. Petersburg Clearwater International (PIE), 8 miles away. Air traffic controllers keep every one of them safely separated from the others.
Why are there more planes over Clearwater some days?
Mostly because of the wind. Airports take off and land into the wind, so a wind shift can send arrivals or departures over different neighborhoods. Storms and busy travel days can also move or stretch the usual paths.
Which airport are the planes over Clearwater going to?
The closest airports with control towers are St. Petersburg Clearwater International (PIE), Tampa International (TPA), Albert Whitted (SPG). Low planes are usually using one of these; higher jets are often passing over on the way somewhere else.
Who do I contact about airplane noise in Clearwater?
The noise office of the airport the plane was using, not the control tower. Have the date and time ready. If the airport can't help, the FAA's noise ombudsman takes inquiries through faa.gov/noise.