Budapest to Malta flight path: BUD to MLA

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Budapest to Malta. The right side wins on both ends of the flight: a scenic glimpse of Budapest's Danube and castle district during the departure turn, and a sweeping view of Valletta's harbor and Malta's coastline during the looping approach for runway 31, giving it consistently stronger urban and coastal scenery than the left side's plainer views.

During takeoff from Ferihegy (BUD), sit on the Right side for the best views. Ferihegy's runway 31 takeoff heading points straight at Budapest, and as the jet banks left onto its southbound track toward Malta, the city swings into view on the right side. Passengers get a brief but clear look at the Danube bend, Castle Hill, and the Parliament building before the plane straightens out over the flat Hungarian plain. Notable sights include: Danube River bend, Buda Castle Hill, Hungarian Parliament Building, Gellért Hill.

When landing at Luqa (MLA), sit on the Right side for the best views. When Malta uses runway 31 for landing, arriving aircraft from the north typically fly past the islands and loop back over the sea to approach from the southeast. This turn puts Valletta's fortified Grand Harbour, the Sliema waterfront, and the golden limestone coastline on the right side just before touchdown. Notable sights include: Valletta and the Grand Harbour, Sliema and St. Julian's coastline, Fort St. Angelo, Mediterranean Sea cliffs.

The flight from Ferihegy (BUD) to Luqa (MLA) takes about 2 hours 35 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 837 miles (1,347 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

Croatia's Slavonian plain and Dinaric foothills, the Adriatic Sea, Italy's Puglia coastline near Bari, the Ionian Sea, and Sicily's northeast coast near Mount Etna before the final crossing to Malta.