WhatsAbove / Cities / Pennsylvania / Philadelphia
Live planes and satellites over Philadelphia, PA
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Philadelphia right now, centered on 39.9524, -75.1636. 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 Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) only 7 miles to the southwest, Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) has a population of about 1,573,916 and sits at 39.9524°N, 75.1636°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 Philadelphia?
Most identifiable traffic over Philadelphia is tied to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), 7 miles to the southwest, plus PNE (12 mi) and TTN (29 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 Philadelphia right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Philadelphia'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 39.9524, -75.1636.
Can I see the ISS from Philadelphia?
Yes. The ISS passes over Pennsylvania several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Philadelphia is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.