Washington to Los Angeles flight path: DCA to LAX

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Washington to Los Angeles. While the left side wins a spectacular but brief moment over Washington DC at takeoff, the right side delivers a longer stretch of scenic payoff during the Rocky Mountain and high-desert crossing plus the dramatic LA basin and San Gabriel Mountains arrival, giving it the edge across the full flight.

During takeoff from Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing DCA on Runway 01, the aircraft climbs north then banks left to head west, giving left-side passengers a dramatic tilted view down onto the National Mall and Potomac River. This is one of the most recognizable urban departure views in U.S. commercial aviation. Notable sights include: Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Pentagon and Potomac River.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. On the descent into LAX in the typical west-flow pattern, aircraft arriving from the east cross the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley before turning onto final approach, putting the San Gabriel Mountains and the downtown Los Angeles skyline on the right side of the plane. This combination of mountains and city is the most visually rich part of the arrival. Notable sights include: San Gabriel Mountains, downtown Los Angeles skyline, Hollywood Hills, San Fernando Valley.

The flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes 5h 45m.

Appalachian ridges of West Virginia, the Great Plains of Kansas, the Rocky Mountain Front Range near Colorado, and the high desert plateau of Utah and Nevada before descending into the Los Angeles basin