Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Dhaka to Istanbul. While the right side wins at takeoff for the delta river views, the left side delivers the more dramatic and sustained scenery: it picks up the Himalayan foothills over northeastern India, the Tibetan plateau edge, and then the spectacular Bosphorus and Istanbul approach. The landing view alone — Sea of Marmara, the strait, and the historic peninsula — makes left the clear overall choice.

During takeoff from Zia International (DAC), sit on the Right side for the best views. Hazrat Shahjalal (formerly Zia) airport's primary departure runway 14 sends aircraft southeast before turning northwest toward Istanbul. A right-side seat gives views over the Buriganga River and the dense urban sprawl of Dhaka city center as the aircraft banks left to set course. The braided river channels of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta are clearly visible on the right side during climb-out. Notable sights include: Buriganga River snaking through Dhaka's western edge, Turag River to the north, the vast flat green patchwork of the Bengal delta floodplains, Dhaka's dense urban core.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Ataturk Airport's primary arrival runway 06 brings aircraft in from the west over the Sea of Marmara, meaning left-side passengers get a prolonged view of the Marmara coastline, the Bosphorus strait, and the Istanbul peninsula with its historic skyline. Right-side passengers face inland toward suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus strait, Istanbul's historic peninsula with the Sultanahmet district silhouette, Prince's Islands (Adalar) in the Marmara.

The flight from Zia International (DAC) to Ataturk (IST) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The route tracks northwest over the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh plains of India, then crosses the Himalayan foothills and the southern edge of the Tibetan plateau near Nepal. Continuing west, the flight passes over the Hindu Kush and Afghan highlands, then crosses Iran's central plateau and the Zagros Mountains. Over eastern Turkey, the volcanic cone of Mount Ararat (5,137m) may be visible on the left side. The route then descends over the Anatolian plateau before reaching the Marmara coast.