Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Amsterdam to Detroit. Left side wins at both ends of the flight — Amsterdam's canal city and polders on departure, and the Detroit River border crossing with the downtown skyline on arrival. Over the Atlantic and Canadian Shield the views are similar on both sides, so the departure and arrival experiences tip the balance clearly to the left.

During takeoff from Schiphol (AMS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Schiphol typically departs westward on runway 18R/36L or 24 toward the North Sea, then turns northwest. A left seat gives you a view back over Amsterdam city center, the IJ waterway, and the distinctive patchwork of Dutch polders and canals as you climb out. Right side faces open farmland with less to see. Notable sights include: Amsterdam city center and canal ring, IJ waterway and Amsterdam harbor, Dutch polder landscape with linear canals, Westpoort industrial port district.

When landing at Detroit City (DET), sit on the Left side for the best views. Detroit City Airport (DET) sits on the northeast side of Detroit. Approaches typically come in from the east or northeast, meaning the left side faces south over the Detroit River, Windsor Ontario across the border, and the downtown Detroit skyline. The right side faces suburban sprawl with little of interest. Notable sights include: Detroit River and US-Canada border, Windsor Ontario waterfront, Downtown Detroit skyline, Lake St. Clair to the northeast.

The flight from Schiphol (AMS) to Detroit City (DET) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The route crosses the North Sea, then southern Greenland's ice sheet edge or northern Canada depending on the exact routing, followed by the boreal forest and lake-dotted Canadian Shield over Quebec and Ontario, then the Great Lakes region approaching Michigan. Lake Erie and Lake Huron may be visible on descent.