Palma de Mallorca Airport (Son Sant Joan, PMI, LEPA, LESJ) is situated 7 km East of Palma to which is linked by a motorway.
The high season starts in April, having its peak in August and ending in October. The rest of the year the Airport is too quiet and a spotting trip can be frustrating.
The best day (by far) is Saturday, followed by Sunday and Friday. There can be interesting flights the rest of the weekdays, but you should check the schedules if you don't want to get bored.
Click in the next banners to see real time PMI timetables:
Best weather is -in my opinion - between April and June, as July and August can be too hot, and from August to October storms are usual.
Here's a current forecast
You can find basically two types of operations: those linking Mallorca with Spanish mainland and those that bring tourists to the island, the late ones beeing multiplied by great quantities during the summer. Occasionaly there can be freighters making technical stops, due to Mallorca strategic situation, but these are reduced to small numbers and luck is necessary for them. Many companies only operate in the high season, and you should have in mind that some of the more interesting airlines (i.e. Eastern Europe including Russia) only do it once or twice a week.
The list that follows is only orientative and based in 2003-04 schedule.
* AeBal - Spanair Link (B717) * Air Berlin (B737, A320, F100) * Air Europa (B737, B767) * Air Nostrum-Iberia Regional (F50, ATR72, DHC8, CRJ) * Air Plus (B737, A310, B747) * Air Scotland-Greece Airways (B757) * Austrian Airlines (A320, A321, MD80) * Belair (B757, B767) * BMI baby (B737) * BMI British Midland ( F100, A320, A321, B737) * Braathens (B737) * British Airways (B737, A319) * Condor (A320, B757) * DHL - Swiftair (EMB120, ATR42, ATR72) * Easyjet (A319, B737) * Fischer (B737) * First Choice Airways (A320, A321, B757, B767) * Flyglobespan (B737) * Fly Niki (A320, A321) * Futura (B737) * GB Airways (B737, A320, A321) * Germanwings (A319, A320) * Germania (B737, F100) * Hamburg International (B737) * Hapag-Lloyd (A310, B737) * Hapag-Lloyd Express (B737) * Helvetic (F100) * Hola Airlines (B737) * Iberia (B757, A319, A320, A321, MD87, MD88) * Iberworld (A320) * Lagunair (Saab 340) * LTE (A320, A321) * LTU (A320, A321, A330) * Lufthansa (B737, A319, A320, A321, CRJ) * Luxair (B737, ERJ145) * Maersk (B737) * Monarch (B757, A320, A321, A330, A300) * My Travel (A320, A321, A330, DC10) * Neos (B737) * Nordic Leisure (MD80, MD90) * Palmair European (B737) * Regional Wings (ATR42) * SAS (MD87, MD80, MD90, B737, A321) * Spanair (MD80, A320, A321) * Swiss (BAe146, MD80, A319, A320) * Thomas Cook (A320, B757, B767) * Thomsonfly (B737) * Transavia (B737) * Virgin Express (B737) * Vueling (A320) * Welcome Air (Do328)
PMI has two main runways: 24R/06L and 24L/06R, most of the time the runway in use is 24. When this happens 24R is used for take offs and 24L for landings, although most regional turboprops and some planes going to North Apron stands can do it in 24R. Lately this situation is becoming different and we've seen up to nine aircraft waiting its departure time from 24R giving way to a small turboprop landing. For western operations, everything must land on 06L (the only exceptions are some light traffics). 06R is used for take offs and very seldom there are some requirements to take off from 06L.
| MHz | Description |
| 119.25 | ATIS |
| 130.25 | OPS |
| 121.60 | CLR |
| 121.70 | GMC South |
| 121.90 | GMC North |
| 118.30 | TWR |
| 118.95 | APP/I |
| 119.15 | APP/L |
| 119.40 | APP/L |
| 121.30 | ACC |
| 118.00 | ACC West |
| 120.70 | ACC East |
| 118.45 | BACKUP (*) |
| 121.50 | EMERG |
| 243.00 | EMERG |
| 257.80 | TWR/MIL |
| 337.77 | APP/MIL |
(*) 118.45 is being used on peak times as North TWR (24R/06L), with 118.30 as South TWR (24L/06R).
PMI terminals do not provide any spotting facilities, so photographers and observers should operate from the perimeter where several places can be found. The perimeter is totally marked by a fence that can be overlooked at some of the main spots. A great part of the perimeter is surrounded by private sites, some of them are farms and in many cases their owners are fed up of people messing around with cameras and cars in a place that in fact is their home. As there are enough spots in public places, I will only mention these ones. A 70-300mm lens will be enough in all the spots reported, for planes ranging from an ATR42 to a B747 and no ladder needed unless stated.
This place is situated in the North part of the field near 24R/06L. Sun is good after 15:00 or 16:00 in the summer, but backlight when the day is shorter. An small elevation will allow you to avoid the fence. 24R departures or 06L landings.
Example:
In fact not a unique point but a zone with several spots in the approach of 24L, where most of the traffic land. As there are many places no need to enter at any private spot. It's good for afternoon landing shots.
Example:
Near an small old road in the middle of 24L/06R, the sun is good here until 15:00. An small elevation will help you to overlook the fence. Useful for 24R landings or 06 departures.
Example: 
06L approach. Situated in a wasteland beetween the old road to Can Pastilla and the sea. Many places to choose, some of them even in the shade of the pine-trees.
Example:
06R Holding point. Good place if you like "easy" shots as aircraft line up in front of you. A ladder is essential here.
Example:
24R Approach. In a small road that departs from Casablanca village. A 400mm is needed if you want to get small turboprops such as Fokker 50's or Dash 8's
Example:
Palma de Mallorca Airport hasn't any lodging facilities. Anyway is quite near Ca'n Pastilla, that has one of Europe's highest Hotel concentrations. Perhaps they aren't the best ones, but the variety is enough to find something that satisfies your needs. I have very good personal references from Hotel El Cid that has many rooms facing 06L approach. But check with your travel agent or any internet website for the others...