Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Atlanta to San Jose. While the right seat wins at ATL departure, the left seat delivers the more spectacular payoff: the volcanic peaks of the Cordillera Central on descent into SJO are genuinely dramatic and rare. Over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean the views are largely open water regardless of side, so the landing experience tips the balance to the left seat.

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) head eastward, then aircraft typically turn south. A right/west-facing seat captures downtown Atlanta's skyline and the Chattahoochee River corridor during the climb-out turn. Left seats face east toward less distinctive suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Downtown Atlanta skyline, Chattahoochee River, Stone Mountain (distant flat-topped granite dome to the east briefly visible on left before turn), Hartsfield terminal complex below.

When landing at Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SJO sits in the Central Valley with the Cordillera Central volcanoes to the north. Aircraft typically approach from the east or northeast on runway 07, meaning a left seat faces north toward Volcán Irazú and Volcán Poás during the descent. These are among the most visually dramatic features in Central America. Notable sights include: Volcán Irazú (3,432m, largest volcano in Costa Rica), Volcán Poás (visible further northwest), Central Valley urban sprawl of San José, Cordillera Central ridge line.

The flight from The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) to Juan Santamaria International (SJO) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes.

The flight tracks south over the Gulf of Mexico, crossing the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico where the flat limestone karst and turquoise Caribbean coastal waters of the Yucatán Channel are visible. The aircraft then crosses over Guatemala and El Salvador, where the Pacific coastal volcanic chain of Central America — including Volcán Tajumulco and the Guatemalan highlands — may be visible on the right side. The Pacific Ocean comes into view on the right as the route descends toward Costa Rica's Central Valley.