Why is there aircraft noise around Phoenix Sky Harbor?

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX/KPHX) is one of America's busiest airports, handling around 50 million passengers per year on three parallel runways. The airport sits just 5 km east of downtown Phoenix — one of the closest major-city airports in the US. Three parallel east-west runways (08/26) handle most traffic. The corridor extends through Tempe (south-east), East Phoenix (west), Papago, and parts of downtown. Most of greater Phoenix sits clear: North Phoenix, Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale, the West Valley (Glendale, Peoria), and most of the East Valley suburbs.

Which Phoenix neighborhoods are quietest for aircraft noise?

North Phoenix (Sunnyslope, Dreamy Draw, North Mountain), Paradise Valley (the wealthy enclave between Phoenix and Scottsdale), North Scottsdale (Cactus area, Desert Mountain direction), and the West Valley suburbs (Glendale, Peoria, Goodyear) all sit well clear of the corridor. The East Valley suburbs (Chandler, Mesa east, Gilbert, Queen Creek) are also mostly clear. The most affected areas are concentrated immediately around the airport: Tempe (west, near ASU), East Phoenix, Papago, parts of downtown, South Phoenix, and Arcadia.

Is Old Town Scottsdale loud from planes?

Moderately — Old Town Scottsdale sits ~7 km north-east of the airport and catches lateral noise from approach and departure corridors. Aircraft pass at moderate altitudes (~2500-4000 ft). The trendy Old Town area's main noise sources are the active nightlife and restaurant scene plus weekend crowds — aircraft noise is a moderate factor but not dominant. For residents in north or far-east Scottsdale, aircraft noise becomes essentially non-factor.

Is Tempe loud from planes?

Yes — western Tempe (the ASU campus area and the inner-west residential streets) sits directly under the runway 26 approach corridor. Aircraft pass overhead at low altitudes (~1000-2000 ft) on short final to the western runways. The ASU campus and the surrounding student-housing developments experience consistent overflight. Drop a pin on the map above to see your specific street — exposure varies significantly between western Tempe (heavy) and eastern Tempe (much lighter).

How does Phoenix compare to Las Vegas for airport noise?

Both are similar Western US 24-hour hubs sitting very close to downtown. Phoenix has three parallel east-west runways; Las Vegas has four. Both have central districts immediately under approach paths (Tempe/Phoenix Strip downtown vs. Las Vegas Strip). For Phoenix-area relocators, the trade-off is between affordable South/East Phoenix (loud) vs. North Phoenix/Scottsdale (quieter). Las Vegas has a similar trade-off pattern with the Strip vs. Summerlin.

How do I report aircraft noise in Phoenix?

Submit complaints to Phoenix Sky Harbor's Aviation Noise Office via skyharbor.com/community/noise. The Aviation Noise Advisory Committee meets monthly and reviews aggregated impact data. The City of Tempe, Town of Paradise Valley, and other affected municipalities operate their own complaint channels. FAA Phoenix TRACON handles air-traffic operational complaints.

Does coverage on this map include all aircraft?

Yes — commercial fleets at PHX have near-100% ADS-B coverage. The heatmap and density layers reflect actual traffic accurately. The Phoenix area has significant general-aviation activity (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Deer Valley, Scottsdale Airport, Goodyear), but those airports don't operate from Sky Harbor and don't affect the main corridor.

Phoenix Flight Path Noise Map – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

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

Aircraft noise around Phoenix in October 2026

Loudest neighborhoods near Phoenix: Tempe (west), Papago Park, East Phoenix. Quietest: Scottsdale (north), Paradise Valley, Glendale (West Valley), Chandler. Busiest around 8 AM local time averaging 1817 flights/day. Source: Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 30 days to 2026-10-17.

Flights by hour · last 30 days

12a6a12p6p

Average daily traffic

1817

flights / day · 54,497 total

Busiest hour

8 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest hour

8 AM

peak 95 dB

Loudest residential area

Tempe (west)

66 dB avg · ~915 flights/day · Busy road

ASU campus and western Tempe; under approach corridor for runway 26

Does Phoenix Airport have a curfew?

No — Phoenix has no formal curfew.

Phoenix operates 24 hours with no curfew. The lack of a curfew reflects the airport’s status as a major Western US hub and Phoenix’s growing economy. Overnight operations include heavy cargo, charter flights, and red-eye departures to the East Coast. The 24-hour operation is a major noise consideration for residents near the corridor — particularly in the affected neighborhoods immediately adjacent to the airport.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX/KPHX) is one of America’s busiest airports — around 50 million passengers per year, sitting just 5 km east of downtown Phoenix. Three parallel east-west runways handle most traffic. The 24-hour operations + central location make Phoenix one of the more residentially-impacting US airports. The corridor passes through Tempe (ASU area), East Phoenix, Papago, downtown fringes, and South Phoenix. North Phoenix, Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale, and the West Valley sit clear.

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

PHX has three parallel runways: 08/26 in three positions (north, south, and middle), handling most commercial traffic.

Area	Aircraft noise	Why
Tempe (west)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	ASU area under approach
Papago Park	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Departure climb-out
East Phoenix	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Airport-adjacent west
South Phoenix	✈︎✈︎	Climb-out at altitude
Downtown Phoenix	✈︎✈︎	Moderate altitude overhead
Roosevelt Row	✈︎✈︎	Art district lateral
Arcadia	✈︎✈︎	Lateral noise
Scottsdale (south)	✈︎✈︎	Old Town lateral
Paradise Valley	✈︎	Wealthy enclave; clear
Scottsdale (north)	✈︎	North Scottsdale; off corridor
Glendale	✈︎	West Valley; outside footprint
Chandler	✈︎	South East Valley; clear

When is it quietest?

PHX 24-hour operations:

Morning departure bank (5 AM – 9 AM): peak
Midday (10 AM – 4 PM): moderate sustained
Evening arrival bank (4 PM – 10 PM): peak
Late evening – overnight: still active, cargo + red-eyes

For your specific address, drop a pin on the map above.

How to check noise at your specific address

Search your address or postcode in the bar at the bottom.
Drop a pin.
Read the noise report.

For Tempe and East Phoenix addresses, check carefully — exposure varies. North Phoenix and the West Valley will show flat green profiles year-round.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there aircraft noise around Phoenix Sky Harbor?: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX/KPHX) is one of America's busiest airports, handling around 50 million passengers per year on three parallel runways. The airport sits just 5 km east of downtown Phoenix — one of the closest major-city airports in the US. Three parallel east-west runways (08/26) handle most traffic. The corridor extends through Tempe (south-east), East Phoenix (west), Papago, and parts of downtown. Most of greater Phoenix sits clear: North Phoenix, Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale, the West Valley (Glendale, Peoria), and most of the East Valley suburbs.
Which Phoenix neighborhoods are quietest for aircraft noise?: North Phoenix (Sunnyslope, Dreamy Draw, North Mountain), Paradise Valley (the wealthy enclave between Phoenix and Scottsdale), North Scottsdale (Cactus area, Desert Mountain direction), and the West Valley suburbs (Glendale, Peoria, Goodyear) all sit well clear of the corridor. The East Valley suburbs (Chandler, Mesa east, Gilbert, Queen Creek) are also mostly clear. The most affected areas are concentrated immediately around the airport: Tempe (west, near ASU), East Phoenix, Papago, parts of downtown, South Phoenix, and Arcadia.
Is Old Town Scottsdale loud from planes?: Moderately — Old Town Scottsdale sits ~7 km north-east of the airport and catches lateral noise from approach and departure corridors. Aircraft pass at moderate altitudes (~2500-4000 ft). The trendy Old Town area's main noise sources are the active nightlife and restaurant scene plus weekend crowds — aircraft noise is a moderate factor but not dominant. For residents in north or far-east Scottsdale, aircraft noise becomes essentially non-factor.
Is Tempe loud from planes?: Yes — western Tempe (the ASU campus area and the inner-west residential streets) sits directly under the runway 26 approach corridor. Aircraft pass overhead at low altitudes (~1000-2000 ft) on short final to the western runways. The ASU campus and the surrounding student-housing developments experience consistent overflight. Drop a pin on the map above to see your specific street — exposure varies significantly between western Tempe (heavy) and eastern Tempe (much lighter).
How does Phoenix compare to Las Vegas for airport noise?: Both are similar Western US 24-hour hubs sitting very close to downtown. Phoenix has three parallel east-west runways; Las Vegas has four. Both have central districts immediately under approach paths (Tempe/Phoenix Strip downtown vs. Las Vegas Strip). For Phoenix-area relocators, the trade-off is between affordable South/East Phoenix (loud) vs. North Phoenix/Scottsdale (quieter). Las Vegas has a similar trade-off pattern with the Strip vs. Summerlin.
How do I report aircraft noise in Phoenix?: Submit complaints to Phoenix Sky Harbor's Aviation Noise Office via skyharbor.com/community/noise. The Aviation Noise Advisory Committee meets monthly and reviews aggregated impact data. The City of Tempe, Town of Paradise Valley, and other affected municipalities operate their own complaint channels. FAA Phoenix TRACON handles air-traffic operational complaints.
Does coverage on this map include all aircraft?: Yes — commercial fleets at PHX have near-100% ADS-B coverage. The heatmap and density layers reflect actual traffic accurately. The Phoenix area has significant general-aviation activity (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Deer Valley, Scottsdale Airport, Goodyear), but those airports don't operate from Sky Harbor and don't affect the main corridor.

Sources and further reading

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Phoenix Sky Harbor — Noise & Environment — City of Phoenix Aviation Department
FAA Western-Pacific Region — Federal Aviation Administration
City of Tempe — Aviation — City of Tempe

Data updated 2026-10-17 — live ADS-B monitoring, rolling 30-day statistics (methodology). Article text revised 2026-05-23.

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

Flight Noise

Layers

Live Tracking

Filters

Saved Pins

Flight Noise — User Manual

What is this?

Live Tracking

Heatmap

Flight Paths

Point Analysis

Noise Level Reference

Filters

Tips

Share this map

Pins shared with you

Phoenix Flight Path Noise Map – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Aircraft noise around Phoenix in October 2026

Does Phoenix Airport have a curfew?

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

When is it quietest?

How to check noise at your specific address

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

Other airports we track

🇦🇺 Adelaide, Australia

🇪🇸 Alicante, Spain

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands

🇦🇺 Archerfield, Australia

🇬🇷 Athens, Greece

🇺🇸 Atlanta, USA

🇳🇿 Auckland, New Zealand

🇺🇸 Austin, USA

🇮🇩 Bali, Indonesia

🇦🇺 Ballina, Australia

🇺🇸 Baltimore, USA

🇮🇳 Bangalore, India

🇹🇭 Bangkok, Thailand

🇦🇺 Bankstown, Australia

🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain

🇫🇷 Basel, France

🇱🇧 Beirut, Lebanon

🇬🇧 Belfast City, UK

🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany

🇪🇸 Bilbao, Spain

🇨🇦 Billy Bishop, Canada

🇬🇧 Birmingham, UK

🇨🇴 Bogotá, Colombia

🇺🇸 Boston, USA

🇦🇺 Brisbane, Australia

🇬🇧 Bristol, UK

🇧🇪 Brussels, Belgium

🇧🇪 Brussels Charleroi, Belgium

🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, Argentina

🇦🇺 Canberra, Australia

🇿🇦 Cape Town, South Africa

🇨🇴 Cartagena, Colombia

🇺🇸 Charlotte, USA

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai, Thailand

🇺🇸 Chicago, USA

🇺🇸 Chicago O'Hare, USA

🇳🇿 Christchurch, New Zealand

🇩🇪 Cologne, Germany

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark

🇵🇪 Cusco, Peru

🇻🇳 Da Nang, Vietnam

🇺🇸 Dallas, USA

🇮🇳 Delhi, India

🇺🇸 Denver, USA

🇺🇸 Detroit, USA

🇺🇸 DFW, USA

🇶🇦 Doha, Qatar

🇹🇭 Don Mueang, Thailand

🇦🇪 Dubai, UAE

🇮🇪 Dublin, Ireland

🇩🇪 Düsseldorf, Germany

🇬🇧 Edinburgh, UK

🇳🇱 Eindhoven, Netherlands

🇵🇹 Faro, Portugal

Adelaide, Australia

Alicante, Spain

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Archerfield, Australia

Athens, Greece

Atlanta, USA

Auckland, New Zealand

Austin, USA

Bali, Indonesia

Ballina, Australia

Baltimore, USA

Bangalore, India

Bangkok, Thailand

Bankstown, Australia

Barcelona, Spain

Basel, France

Beirut, Lebanon

Belfast City, UK

Berlin, Germany

Bilbao, Spain

Billy Bishop, Canada

Birmingham, UK

Bogotá, Colombia

Boston, USA

Brisbane, Australia

Bristol, UK

Brussels, Belgium

Brussels Charleroi, Belgium

Budapest, Hungary

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Canberra, Australia

Cape Town, South Africa

Cartagena, Colombia

Charlotte, USA

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chicago, USA

Chicago O'Hare, USA

Christchurch, New Zealand

Cologne, Germany

Copenhagen, Denmark

Cusco, Peru

Da Nang, Vietnam

Dallas, USA

Delhi, India

Denver, USA

Detroit, USA

DFW, USA

Doha, Qatar

Don Mueang, Thailand

Dubai, UAE

Dublin, Ireland

Düsseldorf, Germany

Edinburgh, UK

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Faro, Portugal

Florence, Italy

Fort Lauderdale, USA

Frankfurt, Germany

Funchal, Portugal

Gatwick, UK

Geneva, Switzerland

Glasgow, UK

Gold Coast, Australia

Hamburg, Germany

Hanoi, Vietnam

Heathrow, UK

Helsinki, Finland

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hobart, Australia

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Honolulu, USA

Houston, USA

Houston IAH, USA

Ibiza, Spain

Jandakot, Australia

John Wayne, USA

Kathmandu, Nepal

Keflavík, Iceland

Kraków, Poland

Las Vegas, USA