A new public aircraft viewing area at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is letting aviation lovers watch takeoffs and landings without having to buy a plane ticket and go through security.

The new area, accessible from Cargo Road on the west side of the airport, provides good perspective from multiple runways without fence obstruction and "offers some of the best views that you can get at the airport, " said aviation enthusiast and photographer Emmanuel Canaan.

Before the new spot, "the only publicly accessible area was the cell phone waiting lot on Post Road," he said. "That offered some good views but largely obstructed by a fence. This will offer people ... much better views of aircraft taking off and landing."

A Sun Country Boeing 737-800 caught the fading rays of the Minnesota sun as it headed to Phoenix, Ariz., from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in January. Canaan took this photo from the location that is now an official viewing spot. Courtesy Emmanuel Canaan

Airport officials spent around $200,000 to create the outdoor space in the center of the airfield with tables, benches and landscaping.

Before the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the public could go through security to reach an observation deck inside the terminal, airport officials said. Unless passengers are flying now, they can't get to the observation deck.

Map: Public aircraft viewing area