Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport traffic pattern

Pattern altitude at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI · KBWI) is 1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) by the standard convention — none is published for this field, and every runway end is standard left traffic.

All of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weather

Pattern diagram

Drawn to scale from the FAA NASR runway alignments and the per end right traffic flags — pick a runway to see its pattern. Live wind picks the favored runway when KBWI reports it.

RWY 10LEFT traffic

Heading: 105° mag · 094° true
Dimensions: 10,503 × 150 ft
TPA: 1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
Surface: Asphalt
Lights: 4-light PAPI (right) (3°) + ALSF2
ILS: ILS · CAT III · LOC 109.7 (BAL) · GS 3.00°
Displaced thr: 550 ft
CTAF: 122.95

More details — RWY 10

Threshold elev: 139 ft
Markings: precision
Approach obstacle: Tree, 35 ft, 1,606 ft from threshold, 305 ft R of centerline — 40:1 slope to clear
Threshold crossing height: 71 ft
TDZ elevation: 143 ft
Declared TORA/TODA/ASDA/LDA: 10,503 / 10,503 / 10,503 / 9,953 ft
End lights: centerline, TDZ

Condition: Good. Edge lights: High. Surface: Grooved. Weight bearing: Single wheel 80k, Double wheel 220k, Dual tandem 1020k, Double dual tandem 1340k.

Pattern side + displaced threshold: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates

Pattern direction by runway

Runway	Pattern	Heading	Pattern altitude
10	Left traffic	105° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
28	Left traffic	285° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
15L	Left traffic	155° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
33R	Left traffic	335° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
15R	Left traffic	155° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
33L	Left traffic	335° mag	1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)

No pattern altitude is published for KBWI; the figure above is the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention for propeller aircraft, rounded to the field. Turbine aircraft normally fly 1,500 ft AGL. Headings are the runway alignment; downwind is the reciprocal.

Flying the pattern at KBWI

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is towered, working 119.4. Contact the tower before entering the surface area and fly the pattern you are assigned — the directions below are the charted default when no instruction is given.

All ends are left traffic, which is the FAR 91.126 default — turns to the left unless the field charts otherwise. The full entry procedure is here →

Frequently asked

What is the traffic pattern altitude at KBWI?

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has no traffic pattern altitude published in the FAA NASR data. The AC 90-66B convention for propeller aircraft is 1,000 ft AGL, which works out to roughly 1,100 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) here — but confirm it against the Chart Supplement before you fly, since a field can have a non standard pattern altitude that NASR does not carry.

Does KBWI have right traffic?

No. All 6 runway ends at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport use standard left traffic, so no right pattern is charted here.

Do I fly a standard pattern at KBWI?

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is towered (119.4), so the pattern shown here is the charted default — but the controller's instruction overrides it. Expect straight in approaches, base entries and midfield crossings as traffic dictates.

More about KBWI

Pattern direction and alignment are drawn from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle); the diagram is generated, not an FAA chart. Pattern altitude is shown as published where NASR carries one, otherwise as the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention. For planning and education only; always verify against the Chart Supplement.