Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Charlotte to Los Angeles. The right side is slightly better overall. While the left side wins at takeoff with the Charlotte skyline and Blue Ridge views, the right side delivers consistently across the full flight: the southern Appalachian ridgelines in Tennessee and northern Alabama are visible on the right during cruise, and the spectacular LAX coastal approach over Santa Monica Bay on the right side is the single best visual moment of the entire flight.

During takeoff from Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), sit on the Left side for the best views. CLT's primary departure runways (18C/36C and 18L/36L) oriented north-south mean westbound departures typically involve a left turn heading southwest. The left side picks up the Charlotte city skyline and the Piedmont landscape transitioning toward the Blue Ridge foothills. Right side faces north toward suburban sprawl with less visual interest. Notable sights include: Charlotte skyline, Lake Norman to the northwest, Crowders Mountain State Park, Blue Ridge foothills on the western horizon.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX's primary westward landings on runways 24L/24R approach from the east over the Los Angeles Basin. The right side faces south, giving clear views of the Santa Monica Bay coastline, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the Pacific Ocean as the aircraft descends over Inglewood and the South Bay. Left side faces north toward downtown LA and the San Gabriel Mountains but the right coastal view is more dramatic on final. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach coastline, Los Angeles Basin urban grid.

The flight from Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours.

The flight path crosses the southern Appalachians over Tennessee and northern Alabama, then tracks over the Mississippi River near Memphis, crosses the flat Arkansas and Oklahoma plains, passes over the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico high desert, crosses the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, traverses the Mojave Desert with its dry lake beds and Joshua Tree terrain, and descends through the Cajon Pass area into the Los Angeles Basin