Miami Beach is within 20 miles of 4 airports with control towers: Miami International, Miami-Opa Locka Executive, North Perry and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International. Most planes you see over Miami Beach 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 Miami Beach change too.
Right now over Miami Beach
Live aircraft within about 8 miles of Miami Beach, 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 Miami Beach.
Tap the map to see how often planes pass over that spot. Zoom in with + and –, or pinch with two fingers. 📍 shows where you are. ⤢ goes back to the full view.
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 Miami Beach: what the recorded flights show
We’ve recorded months of flights below 10,000 feet over this area. Here’s what they show for Miami Beach, and which way the wind sets the runways at each nearby airport. These are averages: any single day can be quieter or busier.
- Aircraft rarely fly right over the center of Miami Beach: under a minute a day on average.
- The busiest flight path near Miami Beach is about 1.2 miles south-southeast of the center of Miami Beach, where an aircraft is overhead about 13 minutes a day (very roughly 75 flights), usually around 700 ft above the main airport.
- There: 84% low, under 4,000 ft · 16% helicopters.
Which way the wind sets the runways
- Miami International (MIA), 9.9 miles west: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the southeast (runway 12) 35% of the time and toward the east (runways 8L, 8R and 9) 34%.
- Miami-Opa Locka Executive (OPF), 12.2 miles northwest: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the east (runways 9L and 9R) 36% of the time and toward the southeast (runway 12) 31%.
- North Perry (HWO), 16.1 miles north-northwest: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the east (runways 10L and 10R) 47% of the time and toward the north (runways 1L and 1R) 25%.
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 Miami Beach
These air traffic control facilities keep the planes over Miami Beach safely apart. Each one has a free thank-you wall.
- MIATowerMiami International Tower (MIA)Takeoffs and landings at Miami InternationalThank them →
- OPFTowerMiami-Opa Locka Executive Tower (OPF)Takeoffs and landings at Miami-Opa Locka ExecutiveThank them →
- HWOTowerNorth Perry Tower (HWO)Takeoffs and landings at North PerryThank them →
- FLLTowerFort Lauderdale Tower (FLL)Takeoffs and landings at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood InternationalThank them →
- MIAApproach controlMiami TRACON (MIA)Guides planes climbing out of and coming down into the airports around Miami BeachThank them →
- ZMAEn route centerMiami ARTCC (ZMA)Handles flights cruising high over Miami BeachThank them →
Why the flight paths over Miami Beach 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 Miami Beach. 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 Miami Beach
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 Miami Beach are:
- Miami International (MIA)
- Miami-Opa Locka Executive (OPF)
- North Perry (HWO)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL)
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
- Miami, FL
- North Miami, FL
- North Miami Beach, FL
- Hialeah, FL
- Miami Gardens, FL
- Miramar, FL
- Hollywood, FL
- Pembroke Pines, FL
Every plane over Miami Beach is talking to a controller. Say thanks to the people who keep them safely apart.
Common questions
How many planes fly over Miami Beach a day?
Very few fly right over the center of Miami Beach. The busiest nearby path, about 1.2 miles south-southeast of the center, has an aircraft overhead about 13 minutes a day (very roughly 75 flights).
Which way does MIA usually land?
Over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, the wind favored Miami International landing toward the southeast (runway 12) 35% of the time and toward the east (runways 8L, 8R and 9) 34%. Planes take off and land into the wind, so the direction flips when the wind does.
Why are planes flying so low over Miami Beach?
Planes low over Miami Beach are usually landing at or taking off from one of the nearby airports, such as Miami International (MIA), 10 miles away. Air traffic controllers keep every one of them safely separated from the others.
Why are there more planes over Miami Beach 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 Miami Beach going to?
The closest airports with control towers are Miami International (MIA), Miami-Opa Locka Executive (OPF), North Perry (HWO), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL). 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 Miami Beach?
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.