Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Detroit to Los Angeles. The right side wins overall. While left is better at takeoff over Detroit and the river, the right side captures the Rockies crossing in Colorado and Utah from the correct angle on a southwest routing, and delivers the superior San Gabriel Mountains and LA Basin arrival view. The mountain scenery mid-flight and the landing approach tip the balance to the right.

During takeoff from Detroit City (DET), sit on the Left side for the best views. Detroit City Airport typically departs runway 33 (heading northwest), putting the left side over downtown Detroit and the Detroit River. You get a clear view of the city grid, the river, and Windsor, Ontario across the border before the aircraft turns southwest. Notable sights include: Downtown Detroit skyline, Detroit River, Windsor Ontario waterfront, Belle Isle park in the river.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX arrivals on runway 24L/24R approach from the east over the Los Angeles Basin, and the right side gives you the San Gabriel Mountains to the north and the sprawling LA grid below. The final approach over Inglewood and the coast puts the Pacific Ocean briefly visible ahead-right before touchdown. Notable sights include: San Gabriel Mountains, downtown Los Angeles skyline, Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles Basin urban grid.

The flight from Detroit City (DET) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes.

The flight tracks southwest over Indiana and Illinois, crossing the Mississippi River near St. Louis, then over the Ozark Plateau in Missouri and Arkansas, across Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, over the southern Rockies and high desert of New Mexico and Arizona including the Colorado Plateau and Painted Desert region, before descending into the Los Angeles Basin over the Mojave Desert and San Bernardino Mountains.