Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Detroit to Charlotte. The left side delivers the more dramatic and geographically interesting takeoff experience with Detroit, the river, and the international border clearly visible. During cruise the flight tracks roughly south-southeast over Ohio and the Carolinas, with neither side dramatically outperforming the other at altitude. The Detroit departure views on the left edge it out overall.

During takeoff from Detroit City (DET), sit on the Left side for the best views. Detroit City Airport typically departs southeast on runway 15, putting the left side facing northeast toward downtown Detroit and the Detroit River. You get a clear view of the Detroit skyline, the river, and Windsor, Ontario across the border before the aircraft turns south. Notable sights include: Downtown Detroit skyline, Detroit River and Windsor Ontario, Belle Isle Park in the river, Lake St. Clair to the northeast.

When landing at Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), sit on the Right side for the best views. Charlotte Douglas typically lands on runways 18C or 18R heading south, with the approach coming from the north over the city. The right side faces west, giving views of the Charlotte skyline during the approach and the Piedmont terrain rolling toward the Appalachian foothills in the distance. Notable sights include: Charlotte skyline during approach, Lake Norman to the north, Catawba River corridor, Piedmont rolling terrain.

The flight from Detroit City (DET) to Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) takes Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

The flight tracks south-southeast over central Ohio, crossing the Ohio River near the West Virginia border region, then over the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. At cruise altitude you may see the faint ridgelines of the Appalachian Mountains to the right (west) as distant parallel ridges, and the broad flat agricultural and suburban patchwork of the Ohio and Carolina Piedmont below.