WhatsAbove / Cities / Maryland / Bowie

Live planes and satellites over Bowie, MD

The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Bowie right now, centered on 38.9428, -76.7303. Click anything for callsign, route, altitude, and more.

Above you now aircraft· satellites

Nearest major airports

FME · regional
10 mi
Fort Meade Executive Airport — to the north
ADW · regional
12 mi
Joint Base Andrews — to the southwest
BWI · major hub
16 mi
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport — to the north

With Fort Meade Executive Airport (FME) only 10 miles to the north, Bowie 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 Bowie

Bowie (Maryland) has a population of about 58,025 and sits at 38.9428°N, 76.7303°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 Bowie?

Most identifiable traffic over Bowie is tied to Fort Meade Executive Airport (FME), 10 miles to the north, plus ADW (12 mi) and BWI (16 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 Bowie right now?

Several hundred cataloged objects are above Bowie'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 38.9428, -76.7303.

Can I see the ISS from Bowie?

Yes. The ISS passes over Maryland several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Bowie is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.

Nearby skies