Why is there aircraft noise around Hong Kong when the airport is on an island?

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/VHHH) was deliberately built on reclaimed land off the north coast of Lantau so that most of its noise footprint falls over open sea. But the airport's three runways point north-east/south-west, so one leg of every flight runs over land. Under easterly (Runway 07) operations, departures climb out to the north-east over Tuen Mun and the New Territories new towns; under westerly (Runway 25) operations, arrivals descend in from the north-east over Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tsing Yi and Tuen Mun. That overland leg is where the noise is heard.

Is Tuen Mun loud from aircraft?

Yes — Tuen Mun, especially the So Kwun Wat, Siu Lam and Tai Lam Chung coastal strip, is one of the most consistently affected areas. It sits directly under Runway 07 departure climb-outs and Runway 25 arrival approaches, and is named explicitly by Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department as a community overflown by aircraft. Drop a pin on the map above to see exposure for your exact block.

Does Tung Chung get aircraft noise?

Tung Chung is the closest large residential town to the airport, just east of the field on Lantau, so it hears ground and taxi noise and some overflight. But it sits largely off the main over-water departure and arrival corridors, so it gets less of the peak approach and climb-out noise than the New Territories towns to the north-east like Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan.

Which Hong Kong areas are quietest for aircraft noise?

Southern and western Lantau (Mui Wo, the south Lantau coast) and Discovery Bay sit off the principal over-water and north-east land corridors and get little routine overflight. On the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island side, most of the urban core is away from the main corridor because the loudest phases of flight are kept offshore. The most consistently affected belt runs north and north-east of the field through Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and out toward Sha Tin.

What is the difference between Runway 07 and Runway 25 operations at HKG?

Hong Kong's three parallel runways are oriented north-east/south-west. Under the prevailing easterly winter monsoon, the airport runs in the Runway 07 direction: arrivals come in from the south-west over the sea, while departures climb out to the north-east over land. When winds are westerly, the pattern flips to Runway 25: departures head south-west out over the water, while arrivals descend from the north-east over the New Territories. Whichever way it runs, one leg is offshore and the other is over land.

Has the third runway made Hong Kong airport noisier?

The three-runway system was fully commissioned in November 2024, after the new North runway opened in 2022 and the former North runway was reconfigured into the Centre runway. Under normal three-runway operations the North runway handles arrivals, the Centre runway departures, and the South runway works in mixed mode. The added capacity has intensified community attention on night flights, and late-night use of the South runway has been under review following noise complaints.

How do I report aircraft noise in Hong Kong?

Aircraft noise complaints are handled by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), not the airport operator. You can reach CAD's aircraft-noise service at +852 2769 6969 or via cad.gov.hk. CAD operates an Aircraft Noise and Flight Track Monitoring System across the affected districts, and complaints feed into how night-time routing and noise-abatement procedures are reviewed.

Hong Kong Flight Path Noise Map – Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Name: Aircraft noise observations near Hong Kong International Airport
Creator: Flight Path Noise
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Aircraft noise around Hong Kong in October 2026

Loudest neighborhoods near Hong Kong: Tuen Mun (So Kwun Wat / Siu Lam / Tai Lam Chung), Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi. Quietest: Discovery Bay, Yuen Long, Mui Wo, Tseung Kwan O. Busiest around 10 AM local time averaging 1161 flights/day. Source: Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 30 days to 2026-10-18.

Flights by hour · last 30 days

12a6a12p6p

Average daily traffic

1161

flights / day · 34,820 total

Busiest hour

10 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest hour

10 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest residential area

Tung Chung

65 dB avg · ~1,030 flights/day · Office noise

Closest large residential new town, on Lantau just east of the field; near the runways but largely off the main over-water corridors, so ground/taxi noise and some overflight rather than peak approach noise

Does Hong Kong Airport have a curfew?

Partial — no blanket curfew, but a night noise-quota and a ban on the noisiest aircraft (10 PM–7 AM).

There is no absolute blanket curfew, but two mandatory night restrictions apply. Aircraft that do not meet the stricter ICAO Chapter 4 noise standard are barred from taking off or landing between 10 PM and 7 AM, and a Noise Quota Count (QC) scheme, in force since 2017, caps how much night-time noise each airline can generate over the year for the 10 PM–6:59 AM period. On top of that, late-night flights are preferentially routed over the water wherever weather and safety allow.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/VHHH) sits on a largely man-made island off the north coast of Lantau, built away from the dense urban core so that most of its noise footprint falls over open sea rather than rooftops. That geography is the defining fact of its noise story. Under the prevailing easterly monsoon (Runway 07), arrivals are routed in from the south-west over the water, and under westerly operations (Runway 25) departures are sent out south-west over the water — keeping the loudest phases of flight offshore wherever possible. The trade-off is that the opposite leg overflies the northern and eastern New Territories: places like Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi, Sha Tin, Ma On Shan and Sai Kung bear the brunt of departure climb-out and approach noise. The result is one of the world’s busiest airports whose worst noise is heard not in the city it serves, but across a string of New Territories new towns several kilometres to the north and north-east.

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Hong Kong runs three parallel runways, all 3,800 m long and oriented north-east/south-west: the North runway (07L/25R), the new third runway opened in 2022; the Centre runway (07C/25C), the former North runway reconfigured and reopened in 2024; and the South runway (07R/25L). Because all three point the same way, the heavy-exposure belt is a corridor that runs due north of the field at Tuen Mun and curves to the north-east through Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and out toward Sha Tin — not the city to the east.

Area	Aircraft noise	Why
Tuen Mun (So Kwun Wat / Siu Lam)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Directly under 07 departures and 25 approaches; named by CAD
Tsuen Wan	✈︎✈︎✈︎	On the north-east arrival/departure corridor
Tsing Yi	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Under the New Territories north-east corridor
Sham Tseng	✈︎✈︎	Coastal strip on the corridor between Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan
Ma Wan	✈︎✈︎	Island beneath the north-east corridor
Kwai Chung	✈︎✈︎	Inland north-east corridor, but higher altitude
Sha Tin	✈︎✈︎	Under 25 arrivals from the north-east, farther out
Ma On Shan	✈︎✈︎	Outer north-east arrival path, edge of ~30 km radius
Tung Chung	✈︎✈︎	Near-field on Lantau; ground noise plus some overflight
Sai Kung	✈︎✈︎	Distant north-east arrivals at high altitude
Discovery Bay	✈︎	Off the over-water tracks on north-east Lantau
Yuen Long	✈︎	To the side of the main corridor; intermittent
Mui Wo	✈︎	Southern Lantau, away from both corridors
Tseung Kwan O	✈︎	Far edge of the arrival corridor, beyond ~30 km

If aircraft noise is a primary concern, the quieter side is southern and western Lantau (Mui Wo, the south coast) and Discovery Bay, which sit off both the over-water tracks and the north-east land corridor. Across the harbour, most of the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island urban core is clear of the worst overflight because the airport keeps its loudest leg offshore. The belt to watch is the New Territories run from Tuen Mun through Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi to Sha Tin — if you’re weighing flats there, drop a pin on the map above to see the exposure for your specific block.

Flight patterns and runway use

Hong Kong’s prevailing winds are easterly/north-easterly for much of the year under the winter monsoon, so the Runway 07 configuration (operating to the north-east) is dominant, with Runway 25 used when winds turn westerly. The airport deliberately exploits its over-water position.

Under easterly (07) operations, arrivals approach from the south-west over the sea — minimal residential overflight — while departures climb out to the north-east. Some turn south over the West Lamma Channel; others overfly Tuen Mun (So Kwun Wat / Siu Lam / Tai Lam Chung), then Tsuen Wan North toward Kowloon East as they gain altitude. Under westerly (25) operations the pattern reverses: departures head south-west out over the water, while arrivals come in from the north-east over Sai Kung, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun.

Under the three-runway system the North runway is normally for arrivals, the Centre runway for departures, and the South runway in mixed mode. CAD applies several noise-abatement measures on the overland leg: ICAO Noise Abatement Departure Procedures (power reduction at or above 800 ft) for north-east departures, encouragement of Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) for north-east arrivals at night, and Radius-to-Fix (RF) satellite procedures that hold aircraft tightly to the nominal track centreline — typically within about 1.5 km either side. Runway 07L is the preferred landing runway under light or easterly winds for noise reasons. CAD also runs an Aircraft Noise and Flight Track Monitoring System across the affected districts.

The route-density layer on the map above makes the asymmetry obvious: one bright corridor runs out over open water to the south-west, while the overland corridor traces the New Territories coast from Tuen Mun north-east toward Tsuen Wan and inland to Sha Tin.

When is it quietest?

There is no absolute blanket curfew at Hong Kong, but layered night-time restrictions shape the overnight profile:

10 PM – 7 AM: aircraft that do not meet the stricter ICAO Chapter 4 noise standard are barred from taking off or landing. An annual Noise Quota Count caps each airline’s night-time noise for the 10 PM–6:59 AM window, in force since 2017.
11 PM – 7 AM (weather and safety permitting): arrivals are normally directed to land from the south-west over the water, and north-east departures must use the southbound West Lamma Channel route, with CDA, NADP and RF procedures applied to minimise overland noise.
Daytime: as a major international hub, Hong Kong runs sustained banks of widebody arrivals and departures through the day, with the overland corridor active whenever the airport is in the configuration that sends that leg over the New Territories.

In practice the quietest window for the New Territories corridor is late night, when the mandatory Chapter 4 ban and the preferential over-water routing combine to pull the loudest traffic offshore. Late-night use of the South runway has been under review following noise complaints, which can shift the overnight pattern for nearby areas. A wind shift that flips the airport between Runway 07 and Runway 25 operations will also change which leg is over land — so an area that was quiet under one configuration can pick up arrivals or departures when the wind turns.

How to check noise at your specific address

The map above answers “is this spot loud?” Three steps:

Search your address or postcode in the bar at the bottom of the map.
Drop a pin — click the location marker that appears.
Read the noise report in the sidebar: average daily noise (Leq), peak observed dB, flights per day passing within 2 km, and an hourly breakdown.

The Noise Heatmap layer (orange/red = louder) and the Route Density layer (purple/magenta = busier corridors) make Hong Kong’s distinctive split obvious — one corridor vanishing over open sea, the other tracing the New Territories coast. Most addresses on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, and on southern Lantau will land in the green/quiet zone, because the airport keeps its loudest leg offshore. The belt that shows up hottest is the New Territories run from Tuen Mun through Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi to Sha Tin. If you want to escalate a real noise problem, the Civil Aviation Department handles aircraft-noise complaints on +852 2769 6969 and via cad.gov.hk.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there aircraft noise around Hong Kong when the airport is on an island?: Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/VHHH) was deliberately built on reclaimed land off the north coast of Lantau so that most of its noise footprint falls over open sea. But the airport's three runways point north-east/south-west, so one leg of every flight runs over land. Under easterly (Runway 07) operations, departures climb out to the north-east over Tuen Mun and the New Territories new towns; under westerly (Runway 25) operations, arrivals descend in from the north-east over Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tsing Yi and Tuen Mun. That overland leg is where the noise is heard.
Is Tuen Mun loud from aircraft?: Yes — Tuen Mun, especially the So Kwun Wat, Siu Lam and Tai Lam Chung coastal strip, is one of the most consistently affected areas. It sits directly under Runway 07 departure climb-outs and Runway 25 arrival approaches, and is named explicitly by Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department as a community overflown by aircraft. Drop a pin on the map above to see exposure for your exact block.
Does Tung Chung get aircraft noise?: Tung Chung is the closest large residential town to the airport, just east of the field on Lantau, so it hears ground and taxi noise and some overflight. But it sits largely off the main over-water departure and arrival corridors, so it gets less of the peak approach and climb-out noise than the New Territories towns to the north-east like Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan.
Which Hong Kong areas are quietest for aircraft noise?: Southern and western Lantau (Mui Wo, the south Lantau coast) and Discovery Bay sit off the principal over-water and north-east land corridors and get little routine overflight. On the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island side, most of the urban core is away from the main corridor because the loudest phases of flight are kept offshore. The most consistently affected belt runs north and north-east of the field through Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and out toward Sha Tin.
What is the difference between Runway 07 and Runway 25 operations at HKG?: Hong Kong's three parallel runways are oriented north-east/south-west. Under the prevailing easterly winter monsoon, the airport runs in the Runway 07 direction: arrivals come in from the south-west over the sea, while departures climb out to the north-east over land. When winds are westerly, the pattern flips to Runway 25: departures head south-west out over the water, while arrivals descend from the north-east over the New Territories. Whichever way it runs, one leg is offshore and the other is over land.
Has the third runway made Hong Kong airport noisier?: The three-runway system was fully commissioned in November 2024, after the new North runway opened in 2022 and the former North runway was reconfigured into the Centre runway. Under normal three-runway operations the North runway handles arrivals, the Centre runway departures, and the South runway works in mixed mode. The added capacity has intensified community attention on night flights, and late-night use of the South runway has been under review following noise complaints.
How do I report aircraft noise in Hong Kong?: Aircraft noise complaints are handled by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), not the airport operator. You can reach CAD's aircraft-noise service at +852 2769 6969 or via cad.gov.hk. CAD operates an Aircraft Noise and Flight Track Monitoring System across the affected districts, and complaints feed into how night-time routing and noise-abatement procedures are reviewed.

Sources and further reading

Aircraft Noise (mitigation, night restrictions, complaint contacts) — Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department
Flight Paths (easterly/westerly routing and overflown areas) — Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department
Noise, Environment — Hong Kong International Airport — Airport Authority Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Hong Kong International Airport runways (designations and lengths) — OurAirports
Hong Kong airport to revise late-night use of south runway over noise complaints — South China Morning Post

Data updated 2026-10-18 — live ADS-B monitoring, rolling 30-day statistics (methodology). Article text revised 2026-05-30.

30 dB	Whisper
45 dB	Quiet residential
55 dB	Normal conversation
65 dB	Busy road
75 dB	Vacuum cleaner
85 dB	Heavy traffic
95 dB	Motorcycle nearby

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Hong Kong Flight Path Noise Map – Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Aircraft noise around Hong Kong in October 2026

Does Hong Kong Airport have a curfew?

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Flight patterns and runway use

When is it quietest?

How to check noise at your specific address

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

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