Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Denver to Tampa. While the left side wins at departure with the Rocky Mountain Front Range views, those last only 10-15 minutes. The right side delivers the spectacular Tampa Bay arrival sequence — open water, the Skyway Bridge, and St. Pete — which is more consistently rewarding. Over the cruise portion heading southeast, the right side also faces south toward the Gulf of Mexico coast as the flight crosses northern Florida.

During takeoff from Denver International (DEN), sit on the Left side for the best views. DEN typically departs eastward on runways 16/34 or 8/26. When departing east then turning southeast toward Tampa, the left side faces north and then west during the turn, giving a clear view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains including Longs Peak and the Denver metro spread across the plains. The right side faces south toward open plains with little of interest. Notable sights include: Front Range of the Rocky Mountains (Longs Peak, Mount Evans), Denver downtown skyline, Cherry Creek Reservoir, the distinctive tent-roof terminal of DEN itself receding below.

When landing at Tampa International (TPA), sit on the Right side for the best views. TPA typically lands on runway 19L/R, approaching from the north over Tampa Bay. The right side on approach faces west, giving a direct view over Old Tampa Bay, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to the south, and the St. Petersburg peninsula. The left side looks inland over suburban Hillsborough County with less visual interest. Notable sights include: Tampa Bay and Old Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg downtown and peninsula, Sunshine Skyway Bridge (visible to the south on the horizon), Clearwater Beach barrier islands.

The flight from Denver International (DEN) to Tampa International (TPA) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The flight crosses the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma plains (flat, featureless at altitude), then the Arkansas River valley, the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma (low forested ridges visible as dark corrugated terrain), the Mississippi River near Memphis appearing as a wide brown ribbon, then across Alabama and into the Florida Panhandle before descending over the Gulf coastal plain toward Tampa Bay.