Amman - Queen Alia Intl

1Terminal area

The only spot with a clear view of the north ramps and gates in the old terminal is the Business Lounge in the North Concourse. You can access it if you have elite status with OneWorld, Star Alliance or SkyTeam, or by purchasing a day pass at the front desk of the lounge.

226R departures

From this spot you can read all planes parked on the northern part of the terminal, and take decent pictures of departing traffic. Heat haze might be a factor photographing airplanes on the ground. To access this spot you will need a car (taxi or rental). The best way to get there is to take the road east from motorway 15, some 4 km north of the exit towards the airport. Look for signs to Qasr Mushatta, meaning 'Winter Palace'. After this road bends to the right, take a sideroad and zig-zag towards the airport fence. Unfortunately, most of the streets in rural Jordan are not named. That is why hiring a local driver is recommended. If you show your driver the spot on the map he will take you there, no questions asked. The spot is located at the end of the dead end street. One should keep low profile in this area.

3Qasr Mushatta

From spot 3, the 'boneyard' with Iraqi 727s, Bahraini 727s and several L1011s is clearly visible. Departing traffic can also be read off, but a mound blocks the lower half of aircraft on the runway. This spot is at the Qasr Mushatta ruins themselves, the remains of an 8th century palace, open to the public. This historic landmark is located right at the military check point and service entry to the airport. Sometimes, foreigners will visit the site but other than that it is usually empty. One can walk around there with a camera without raising suspicion. When an aircraft is on approach, one can just walk behind any of the standing walls and take photos.

Stored aircraft: