WhatsAbove / Cities / California / San Mateo
Live planes and satellites over San Mateo, CA
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above San Mateo right now, centered on 37.5630, -122.3255. 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 Francisco International Airport (SFO) only 5 miles to the northwest, San Mateo 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 Mateo
San Mateo (California) has a population of about 103,536 and sits at 37.5630°N, 122.3255°W. Aircraft on this page come from the crowdsourced ADS-B network (coverage over this area depends on volunteer receivers nearby); 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 Mateo?
Most identifiable traffic over San Mateo is tied to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 5 miles to the northwest, plus SQL (5 mi) and OAK (12 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 Mateo right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above San Mateo'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 37.5630, -122.3255.
Can I see the ISS from San Mateo?
Yes. The ISS passes over California several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over San Mateo is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.