Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Boston to Milano. Left side wins overall. The Boston departure view is genuinely spectacular and hard to beat — the harbor and skyline together make for a memorable climb-out. Over the Atlantic the views are similar on both sides, and the landing advantage on the right at Malpensa is real but more subtle. If you can only pick one side for the whole flight, left gives you the better departure show.

During takeoff from General Edward Lawrence Logan International (BOS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Logan's most common departure on Runway 33L/33R sends aircraft northwest over the harbor and city. Left side gives you Boston Harbor, the downtown skyline, and a clear view back toward the Charles River and Cambridge as you climb out. Right side faces mostly open ocean. Notable sights include: Boston Harbor and its islands, downtown Boston skyline, Charles River and Cambridge, Quincy Bay.

When landing at Malpensa (MXP), sit on the Right side for the best views. Malpensa typically uses runways oriented roughly east-west (35L/35R or 17R approaches from the north). On approach from the northeast, the right side faces south toward Milan's urban sprawl and, on clear days, the Po Valley with the Alps as a dramatic backdrop to the north behind you. Right also gives the best view of Lake Maggiore and Lake Varese during descent. Notable sights include: Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Po Valley flatlands, Milan urban area to the southeast.

The flight from General Edward Lawrence Logan International (BOS) to Malpensa (MXP) takes Approximately 7 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes westbound tailwinds vary; eastbound typically 7.5 to 8 hours.

After departing Boston the route tracks northeast over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, where the rugged Canadian coastline and Gulf of St. Lawrence are visible in good conditions. The flight then crosses the North Atlantic, passing south of Greenland and Iceland — occasionally the southern tip of Greenland or sea ice is visible on northern routing. Approaching Europe, the route crosses Ireland and southern England or northern France, where the English Channel, Thames estuary, and the patchwork English countryside may be visible before crossing into continental Europe and descending toward the Alps and the Po Valley.