WhatsAbove / Cities / California / San Diego
Live planes and satellites over San Diego, CA
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above San Diego right now, centered on 32.7157, -117.1647. Click anything for callsign, route, altitude, and more.
Tonight
Visible passes for the next 12 hours — sun-lit satellite, dark sky at your point.
Nearest major airports
With San Diego International Airport (SAN) only 2 miles to the northwest, San Diego sits directly under active approach and departure paths — expect frequent low-altitude traffic between roughly 2,000 and 8,000 ft, with the direction of flow flipping when the wind changes.
About the sky over San Diego
San Diego (California) has a population of about 1,404,452 and sits at 32.7157°N, 117.1647°W. Aircraft on this page come from the crowdsourced ADS-B network (coverage over metro areas like this is typically excellent); satellites are computed in your browser from published orbital elements — several hundred are above the local horizon at any moment.
What planes fly over San Diego?
Most identifiable traffic over San Diego is tied to San Diego International Airport (SAN), 2 miles to the northwest, plus NZY (3 mi) and NKX (11 mi). Add high-altitude cruise traffic passing over on airway routes. The live scope on this page shows each one with callsign, route, and altitude.
How many satellites are above San Diego right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above San Diego's horizon at any moment — mostly Starlink, plus stations, science payloads, and decades-old relics. Open the SPACE tab on this page for the live, computed count at 32.7157, -117.1647.
Can I see the ISS from San Diego?
Yes. The ISS passes over California several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over San Diego is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.