Milwaukee Airport Webcam – Plane Spotting at MKE

The Milwaukee Airport Webcam follows the traffic at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) from an automatic tracking camera at the northern end of the airfield, on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It locks onto aircraft as they land, take off and taxi, then swings back to the terminal gates, the hangars and the treeline between movements. A Flightradar24 panel names each tracked flight with its registration, aircraft type, airline, route, ground speed and altitude, so a Southwest 737 heading for Tampa or a Delta jet bound for Atlanta is identified before it reaches the runway. The stream runs around the clock, and night operations stay on screen under the airfield lights. This video was captured by an automatic tracking camera streaming live to the Flightradar24 YouTube channel.

About Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

The airport opened in 1920 as Hamilton Airport and was renamed on 17 March 1941 for United States Army General Billy Mitchell. The Milwaukee County Aviation Department runs it today on 2,314 acres (936 hectares), about 9.3 kilometers (5.8 miles) south of downtown and 222 meters (728 feet) above sea level. In 2025 it handled 5,874,372 passengers and 97,823 aircraft operations, roughly 268 takeoffs and landings a day. Southwest Airlines carries the biggest share of those passengers, close to 42 percent, so its blue, red and yellow 737s tend to be the most frequent sight on camera.

Five runways cross the field. The longest, 1L/19R, runs 3,045 meters (9,990 feet) on a north to south line, and 7R/25L adds 2,530 meters (8,300 feet) running east to west. Three shorter strips, 13/31, 7L/25R and 1R/19L, measure between 1,275 and 1,688 meters (4,182 and 5,537 feet). Red holding position signs for 19R-1L and 25L-7R often sit in the foreground, and the single terminal, with two concourses and 38 gates, fills the background whenever the camera pans toward the jet bridges.

Airline jets are only part of the mix. The 128th Air Refueling Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard flies from MKE, and the airport is a hub for the cargo operators Air Cargo Carriers and Freight Runners Express, so military, freight and business aircraft such as Cessna Citations share the taxiways with passenger flights. The camera belongs to Milwaukee Aviation Live and runs CamStreamer’s PlaneTracker app on an AXIS Q6355-LE PTZ unit, with the ADS-B data and identification overlay supplied by Flightradar24. A camera distance readout on the panel shows how far away each target is.

Weather and Climate in Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s climate normals are measured at this airport, so the 1991 to 2020 figures describe the scene on camera directly. January averages highs of -0.6 C (31 F) and lows of -8.2 C (17 F), and about 124 centimeters (48.7 inches) of snow falls in a typical year, which brings the snowy winter operations the operator describes. Spring warms slowly, with April highs of 12.6 C (55 F) and lows of 3.2 C (38 F). Annual precipitation comes to 878 millimeters (34.6 inches).

July is the warmest month, averaging highs of 27.7 C (82 F) and lows of 18.2 C (65 F). October cools to highs of 16.3 C (61 F) and lows of 7.1 C (45 F), when the trees around the airfield turn orange and gold behind the taxiing jets. Lake Michigan shapes the weather as well. In light wind a lake breeze can form around mid-afternoon and push cooler air 8 to 24 kilometers (5 to 15 miles) inland, and the airport’s center lies only about 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) from the shore at Sheridan Park.

Things to Do Near Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Start inside the terminal. The Mitchell Gallery of Flight sits before the TSA checkpoints, so no boarding pass is needed, and it charges no admission during normal airport hours. Its permanent and changing displays cover aviation pioneers from Milwaukee County and the rest of Wisconsin. To watch the same traffic the camera follows, local spotters use Mitchell Airport Park for a higher view, the Layton Avenue Observation Area directly below it, the 6th Street Observation Area, and the corner of International Drive and South Pennsylvania Avenue. Parking is free at all of them, while the airport garage is free only for stays under 30 minutes.

Lake Michigan is a short drive east. Sheridan Park in Cudahy has trails down along the lakeshore, and Grant Park, just south of Cudahy, covers 381 acres (154 hectares) of trails, ponds and picnic areas that protect stopover habitat for migrating birds. North of the airport, the Bay View neighborhood pairs South Shore Park on the water with Humboldt Park, and the Avalon Theater screens independent films and hosts live performances. The Bay View Bash brings several stages of live music to the neighborhood on the third Saturday of each September.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

Three more cams from around Lake Michigan, from a Chicago airfield to the Wisconsin shore.

• Chicago Midway Airport Webcam
• Wauwatosa Train Webcam
• Sheboygan Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport located?

It is on the south side of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, about 9.3 kilometers (5.8 miles) south of downtown and a few kilometers inland from Lake Michigan. Amtrak trains stop at the Milwaukee Airport Rail Station, which serves the terminal.

What can you see on the Milwaukee Airport Webcam?

Arrivals, departures and taxiing aircraft at MKE, filmed by a camera that follows each one automatically. Between flights it looks over the jet bridges, hangars and the trees beyond the airfield, while an overlay shows the airport’s local time, temperature and wind.

Does the Milwaukee Airport Webcam work at night?

Yes. The stream runs 24 hours a day and keeps following aircraft after dark under the airfield lights. The operator warns that flashing aircraft lights and strobing airfield lighting may affect photosensitive viewers, especially at night.

How busy is Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport?

MKE handled 5,874,372 passengers and 97,823 aircraft operations in 2025. Southwest Airlines held the largest market share at 41.97 percent, and the terminal has 38 gates across two concourses.

How does the camera know which plane it is filming?

Flightradar24 feeds live ADS-B data, the position signals that aircraft broadcast, to CamStreamer’s PlaneTracker app, which aims the camera and matches each target to its registration, airline, route, ground speed and altitude, often with a photo of the aircraft beside the details.

Where can you watch planes land at Milwaukee Mitchell Airport?

Mitchell Airport Park gives a raised view, with the Layton Avenue Observation Area right below it. The 6th Street Observation Area and the corner of International Drive and South Pennsylvania Avenue are the other popular spots, all with free parking.

Why is it called Mitchell Airport?

It honors United States Army General Billy Mitchell. The field opened in 1920 as Hamilton Airport and took the Mitchell name on 17 March 1941.

What is the weather like in Milwaukee?

Winters are cold and snowy and summers are warm. Normals measured at the airport give January highs of -0.6 C (31 F), July highs of 27.7 C (82 F) and about 124 centimeters (48.7 inches) of snow a year.

Source: Flightradar24