Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Washington to New York. Left side wins both ends of this flight. At takeoff you get the full Washington DC monumental core, and on approach into JFK you get the Manhattan skyline across Jamaica Bay. The right side offers Virginia suburbs departing and the Atlantic Ocean arriving — neither particularly compelling.

During takeoff from Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), sit on the Left side for the best views. DCA's primary northbound departures on Runway 1 take you up the Potomac River corridor. The left side gives you a direct view over the National Mall, the Capitol, and the monuments as you climb out over the city. The right side faces Virginia suburbs with far less to see. Notable sights include: National Mall and Lincoln Memorial, U.S. Capitol dome, Potomac River bends, Arlington Memorial Bridge.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK's most common arrival from the southwest uses runways 31L/31R, meaning the aircraft approaches from over Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula. The left side faces north toward Manhattan's skyline, which is clearly visible on the horizon during the approach. The right side looks south over the Atlantic Ocean. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline on the horizon, Jamaica Bay and its barrier islands, Rockaway Peninsula, Brooklyn waterfront.

The flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 55 to 70 minutes.

The flight tracks northeast up the I-95 corridor through Delaware and New Jersey. You pass over the Delaware River and Chesapeake and Delaware Canal area near Wilmington, then the flat coastal plain of New Jersey. Philadelphia's urban grid is visible to the west around the midpoint. The New Jersey Turnpike corridor and the Arthur Kill waterway between New Jersey and Staten Island are recognizable features in the final descent phase.