Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Brussels to Washington. The landing approach on the left side delivers the more dramatic and memorable view — the Potomac River and the Washington DC skyline on the horizon are genuinely iconic. The takeoff right-side view over Brussels is interesting but relatively modest. If forced to pick one side for the whole flight, left wins on the strength of the arrival.

During takeoff from Brussels Natl (BRU), sit on the Right side for the best views. Brussels Airport typically departs westward on runway 25R/25L, meaning a right-side seat looks south over central Brussels city, including the visible urban grid and the Sonian Forest. Left side faces north toward flat Flemish farmland with little of interest. Notable sights include: Brussels city center urban grid, Sonian Forest (dark forested wedge southeast of city), Leuven urban area to the east, flat Brabant agricultural patchwork.

When landing at Washington Dulles International (IAD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dulles typically receives arrivals from the east on runway 19L/19R or from the northeast on runway 01R, but the dominant long final approach is from the northeast. A left-side seat on approach from the northeast gives views over the Potomac River, the Virginia suburbs, and occasionally the Washington Monument and Capitol dome on the horizon to the left. Right side faces northwest toward generic Virginia woodland. Notable sights include: Potomac River (broad silver ribbon cutting through the landscape), Washington DC skyline on the distant horizon, Tysons Corner urban cluster, Virginia suburban grid of Fairfax County.

The flight from Brussels Natl (BRU) to Washington Dulles International (IAD) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The route tracks northwest from Belgium over the North Sea, then across southern Ireland or northern Ireland, before crossing the North Atlantic. Mid-ocean the flight passes south of Greenland, where on clear days the southern Greenland ice sheet and coastal fjords may be visible from altitude. The route then crosses Newfoundland and Labrador, where the Canadian Shield's lakes, boreal forest, and river systems are visible below. Descending into the US mid-Atlantic, the Appalachian Mountains appear as parallel ridgelines running northeast to southwest across Pennsylvania and Virginia before the suburban sprawl of the Washington metro area.