Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Atlanta to El Paso. While the right side wins at takeoff for Atlanta city views, the left side dominates the majority of the flight. Westbound across Alabama and Mississippi you get southern views, then crossing Texas the left side tracks closer to the Hill Country and eventually the dramatic Chihuahuan Desert terrain approaching El Paso, capped by the Franklin Mountains on final approach. The landing view on the left is the single most dramatic moment of the flight.

During takeoff from The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL), sit on the Right side for the best views. ATL's primary departure runways (8L/8R/9L/9R heading east, or 26L/26R/27L/27R heading west) mean westbound departures to ELP typically head northwest initially. On a right-side seat, you get a clear view south over downtown Atlanta's skyline as the aircraft banks west, with Stone Mountain visible to the northeast. Left side faces away from the city core during the turn. Notable sights include: Downtown Atlanta skyline, Stone Mountain (granite monadnock ~16 miles east), Chattahoochee River corridor, Lake Allatoona to the northwest.

When landing at El Paso International (ELP), sit on the Left side for the best views. ELP sits at the base of the Franklin Mountains, and aircraft typically approach from the east on runway 22 or from the northeast on runway 26, descending over the Rio Grande valley. The left side gives you the Franklin Mountains running north-south directly alongside the approach, plus the Rio Grande and Ciudad Juárez spreading across the valley floor below. Notable sights include: Franklin Mountains (sharp desert ridge bisecting El Paso), Rio Grande and US-Mexico border, Ciudad Juárez urban grid, Hueco Tanks rock formations to the northeast.

The flight from The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) to El Paso International (ELP) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes.

The flight crosses central Alabama and Mississippi (flat agricultural lowlands), then the Mississippi River near Jackson MS, followed by the pine forests of east Texas transitioning to the open plains of west Texas. The Pecos River crossing marks entry into true Chihuahuan Desert. The Davis Mountains appear as a low range to the south around the midpoint of Texas. The final 150 miles are stark high desert plateau before the Franklin Mountains announce El Paso.