Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Atlanta to Lisbon. While the left side offers the better Atlanta departure view, the right side wins overall. During the transatlantic cruise, the right side faces south and southwest, giving views of the Azores islands if routing passes near them, and the right side delivers the far superior Lisbon arrival with the Tagus estuary and 25 de Abril Bridge. The Lisbon approach is one of the most scenic in Europe and tips the balance decisively.

During takeoff from The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL), sit on the Left side for the best views. ATL primarily uses runways 8L/8R/9L/9R for eastbound departures or 26L/26R/27L/27R for westbound. For a transatlantic flight to Lisbon, aircraft typically depart northeast, then turn east. On a northeast departure, the left side gets a clear view over downtown Atlanta's skyline as the aircraft climbs and banks. The right side faces suburban sprawl with little of note. Notable sights include: Downtown Atlanta skyline (Peachtree cluster), Stone Mountain (visible to the northeast as a distinctive granite dome), Lake Lanier reservoir to the north, Chattahoochee River corridor.

When landing at Lisboa (LIS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport uses runway 03/21 predominantly. Arrivals on runway 21 come in from the north-northeast over the city, and arrivals on runway 03 approach from the south over the Tagus estuary. On the common runway 21 approach from the north, the right side of the aircraft faces west and southwest, giving views over the Tagus River estuary, the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the historic Belém district. The left side faces inland toward the less scenic northern suburbs. Notable sights include: Tagus River (Rio Tejo) estuary, 25 de Abril suspension bridge, Cristo Rei statue on the south bank, Belém district and Tower of Belém.

The flight from The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) to Lisboa (LIS) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The flight tracks northeast over the Carolinas and Virginia coast before heading out over the North Atlantic. Mid-flight passes over or near the Azores archipelago (Terceira and Faial islands may be visible on clear days from the right side at cruise altitude). The final approach crosses the Portuguese coast near Cascais and the mouth of the Tagus. The North Atlantic mid-section is open ocean with occasional cloud systems and, at high latitudes, possible glimpses of icebergs or pack ice far to the north depending on exact routing.