Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Stockholm to Istanbul. While takeoff offers archipelago views from the right, the landing approach provides more dramatic and concentrated scenery—the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, and Istanbul's historic cityscape are visually distinctive and iconic. The landing experience outweighs the takeoff.

During takeoff from Arlanda (ARN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats offer views of Stockholm's archipelago and the Baltic Sea immediately after departure. The aircraft climbs southeastward, so right windows face the water and island chains that define the region. Notable sights include: Stockholm archipelago (thousands of islands), Baltic Sea, Lake Mälaren to the west (visible as you bank), Uppland coastal plains.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats provide excellent views during approach to Istanbul. The aircraft descends from the northwest, and left windows face the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and central Istanbul's urban landscape as you line up for landing at Atatürk. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn (Haliç), European side of Istanbul with Sultanahmet district, Marmara Sea.

The flight from Arlanda (ARN) to Ataturk (IST) takes 3h 15m.

Over Poland and Czech Republic: Vistula River valley, Carpathian Mountains appearing as a distant ridge on the southern horizon. Crossing into Hungary and Serbia: Danube River visible as a silvery line winding through the plains. Over Serbia and Bulgaria: Balkan mountain ranges to the east, Danube floodplains. Final approach into Turkey: Rhodope Mountains to the northwest, then the Marmara region's rolling terrain before reaching the Bosphorus.