Originally Posted by
closetasfan
you can probably get a good guess earlier in the same day by going to LiveATC, listening to the control tower of the airport, and seeing which way they're taking off. But, sometimes they do turn airports around if the wind changes. And if they use multiple runways for takeoffs not sure how you can determine which runway they'll use (though the direction should be similar)
The simple answer, as others have already stated, is that wind dictates the direction of landing and takeoff. However, for up-to-the-minute info, this advice is solid. I tune in to LiveATC often and find it somewhat interesting in short bursts, especially at peak times or when the weather is a bit challenging.