Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Amsterdam to Beijing. While the right side wins at takeoff for Amsterdam city views, the left side dominates the majority of the flight. Over Russia and Siberia the left side faces south with better sun angle for much of the route, and on descent into Beijing the left side delivers the Yanshan foothills and Kunming Lake. The left side also catches the Ural Mountains crossing and southern Siberian terrain more directly.

During takeoff from Schiphol (AMS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Schiphol's most common departure runway for eastbound flights is the Polderbaan (36R/18L) or Zwanenburgbaan (36C/18R), heading roughly north before turning east. A right-side seat gives you views over Amsterdam city center, the IJ waterway, and the distinctive patchwork of Dutch polders and canals as you climb out and bank eastward. Notable sights include: Amsterdam city center and canal ring, IJ waterway and Amsterdam harbor, Dutch polder landscape with geometric water channels, Almere and IJmeer lake to the east.

When landing at Capital (PEK), sit on the Left side for the best views. PEK's primary arrival runways for westbound traffic are typically 36L/36R (landing northward) or 01/19 configurations. On approach from the west, a left-side seat faces south and southwest, giving views over the western Beijing urban sprawl, the Summer Palace and Kunming Lake, and the Yanshan foothills rising to the northwest — the most visually interesting terrain near the capital. Notable sights include: Yanshan mountain foothills to the northwest of Beijing, Kunming Lake and Summer Palace grounds, Beijing urban grid and ring roads, Ming Tombs reservoir area in the northern approaches.

The flight from Schiphol (AMS) to Capital (PEK) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route tracks northeast over Germany and Poland, then crosses the Ural Mountains (a low but visible ridge marking Europe-Asia boundary), continues over the West Siberian Plain (vast flat taiga and river systems including the Ob and Irtysh), crosses the Yenisei River, traverses the Central Siberian Plateau, passes over the Mongolian steppe and Gobi Desert fringe in Inner Mongolia, then descends into the North China Plain toward Beijing