Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Detroit to Frankfurt. Left side wins both ends of the flight. During the transatlantic cruise at 35,000 feet over the North Atlantic and then southern England and the Netherlands, the left side also faces south, offering daylight views over the English Channel coastline and the Dutch lowlands on descent into European airspace. Right side has little to offer at either end.

During takeoff from Detroit Metro Wayne Co (DTW), sit on the Left side for the best views. DTW's primary departure runway 21L/21R sends aircraft heading southwest before turning northeast toward the Atlantic. A left-side seat captures Lake Erie to the southeast as the aircraft banks north, with Detroit's downtown skyline and the Detroit River visible below. The Windsor, Ontario urban area sits directly across the river and is clearly distinguishable. Notable sights include: Detroit River and Ambassador Bridge, Lake Erie to the southeast, Windsor Ontario urban grid, Detroit downtown skyline including Renaissance Center.

When landing at Frankfurt Main (FRA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Frankfurt airport typically uses runways 25L/25R for westerly arrivals, meaning the approach comes from the east over the Rhine-Main region. A left-side seat on approach faces south, giving views over the Taunus hills, the Rhine River valley, and Frankfurt's distinctive skyline with its cluster of high-rise towers visible to the north of the airport. The Odenwald forested plateau is visible to the southeast. Notable sights include: Frankfurt city skyline (Bankenviertel high-rises), Rhine River valley, Taunus hills to the north, Odenwald forested plateau to the southeast.

The flight from Detroit Metro Wayne Co (DTW) to Frankfurt Main (FRA) takes Approximately 8 to 8.5 hours.

The flight tracks northeast from Detroit over Lake Erie, southern Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River valley near Quebec City, then crosses the North Atlantic roughly over Newfoundland and the Labrador Sea. At cruise altitude the ocean is largely featureless but Greenland's southern ice cap edge may be visible far to the north on clear days. Approaching Europe the route passes over southern Ireland or Cornwall, then crosses the English Channel, the Netherlands lowlands, and descends into the Rhine-Main basin over Belgium and western Germany.