Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Barcelona to San Francisco. Left side wins both the departure over Barcelona and the arrival into San Francisco Bay. Over the Atlantic and North America the views are largely ocean and Canadian wilderness regardless of side, so the bookend city views at departure and arrival are the deciding factor.

During takeoff from Barcelona (BCN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Barcelona El Prat typically departs westward on runway 07L/25R or northward on 02/20. A left-side seat on westward departure gives you the city of Barcelona, the Gothic Quarter grid, and the coastline curving toward the Llobregat delta. On a northward departure, left side tracks along the coast toward Barceloneta beach and the port. Notable sights include: Barcelona city grid and Gothic Quarter, Montjuïc hill, Llobregat river delta, Mediterranean coastline curving northeast toward Sitges.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO's most common arrival is from the west or northwest on runways 28L/28R, meaning the aircraft approaches over the Pacific and crosses the San Mateo coastline. Left-side seats get the San Francisco Bay, the city skyline, and the Bay Bridge on final approach. Right side faces the open Pacific and the less interesting San Mateo suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, San Francisco city skyline, Bay Bridge, San Mateo Peninsula coastline.

The flight from Barcelona (BCN) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The route tracks northwest over the Pyrenees and Bay of Biscay, then across the North Atlantic on a great circle arc passing south of Greenland and Iceland. Over Canada the route crosses Labrador, Quebec boreal forest, and the Canadian Shield. Crossing into the US, the route passes over the northern Rockies and Sierra Nevada before descending into the Bay Area. The Sierra Nevada snowpack may be visible on the right side during descent.