Portland is within 20 miles of 4 airports with control towers: Portland International, Portland Hillsboro, Portland Troutdale and Aurora State. Most planes you see over Portland 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 Portland change too.
Right now over Portland
Live aircraft within about 8 miles of Portland, updated every 30 seconds.
Hearing helicopters or sirens? Listen to the Multnomah County police scanner ↗
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 Portland.
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 Portland: what the recorded flights show
We’ve recorded months of flights below 10,000 feet over this area. Here’s what they show for Portland, 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 Portland, an aircraft is overhead about 1 minute a day on average (very roughly 8 flights).
- The busiest flight path near Portland is about 0.7 miles south of the center of Portland, where an aircraft is overhead about 2 minutes a day (very roughly 15 flights), usually around 2,600 ft above the main airport.
- There: 28% low, under 4,000 ft · 72% helicopters.
Which way the wind sets the runways
- Portland International (PDX), 5.9 miles northeast: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the northwest (runways 28L and 28R) 43% of the time and toward the southwest (runway 21) 25%. When PDX is using the southwest runways, departing planes climb out toward Portland.
- Portland Hillsboro (HIO), 13.3 miles west: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the northwest (runways 31L and 31R) 35% of the time and toward the southwest (runway 20) 33%.
- Portland Troutdale (TTD), 13.4 miles east: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the west (runway 25) 57% of the time and toward the east (runway 7) 43%.
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 Portland
These air traffic control facilities keep the planes over Portland safely apart. Each one has a free thank-you wall.
- PDXTowerPortland Tower (PDX)Takeoffs and landings at Portland InternationalThank them →
- HIOTowerPortland-Hillsboro Tower (HIO)Takeoffs and landings at Portland HillsboroThank them →
- TTDTowerPortland Troutdale Tower (TTD)Takeoffs and landings at Portland TroutdaleThank them →
- UAOTowerAurora State Tower (UAO)Takeoffs and landings at Aurora StateThank them →
- P80Approach controlPortland TRACON (P80)Guides planes climbing out of and coming down into the airports around PortlandThank them →
- ZSEEn route centerSeattle ARTCC (ZSE)Handles flights cruising high over PortlandThank them →
Why the flight paths over Portland 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 Portland. 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 Portland
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 Portland are:
- Portland International (PDX)
- Portland Hillsboro (HIO)
- Portland Troutdale (TTD)
- Aurora State (UAO)
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
Every plane over Portland is talking to a controller. Say thanks to the people who keep them safely apart.
Common questions
How many planes fly over Portland a day?
Based on months of recorded flights below 10,000 feet, an aircraft is over the center of Portland about 1 minute a day on average (very roughly 8 flights). The busiest nearby path, about 0.7 miles south of the center, has an aircraft overhead about 2 minutes a day (very roughly 15 flights).
Which way does PDX usually land?
Over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, the wind favored Portland International landing toward the northwest (runways 28L and 28R) 43% of the time and toward the southwest (runway 21) 25%. Planes take off and land into the wind, so the direction flips when the wind does.
Why are planes flying so low over Portland?
Planes low over Portland are usually landing at or taking off from one of the nearby airports, such as Portland International (PDX), 6 miles away. Air traffic controllers keep every one of them safely separated from the others.
Why are there more planes over Portland 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 Portland going to?
The closest airports with control towers are Portland International (PDX), Portland Hillsboro (HIO), Portland Troutdale (TTD), Aurora State (UAO). 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 Portland?
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.