Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Detroit to New York. Left side wins overall for the JFK approach: Manhattan, Jamaica Bay, and New York Harbor on final approach are hard to beat. The right side is better at takeoff, but the landing view is the highlight of this route.

During takeoff from Detroit Metro Wayne Co (DTW), sit on the Right side for the best views. DTW's primary departure runways (21L/21R heading southwest, or 04L/04R heading northeast) mean a right-side seat gives you views over the Detroit River and Windsor, Ontario during the initial climb. You'll see the Detroit city skyline and the broad expanse of Lake Erie to the southeast as the aircraft banks eastward toward New York. Notable sights include: Detroit River and Ambassador Bridge, Windsor Ontario across the river, Lake Erie to the southeast, Detroit downtown skyline.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK's most common arrival paths bring aircraft in from the west or northwest over Long Island, with final approach typically on runway 13L/13R heading southeast or 22L/22R heading southwest. A left-side seat on approach from the northwest gives you Manhattan's skyline, the Hudson River, and New York Harbor before the aircraft crosses Jamaica Bay on final. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline and Central Park, Hudson River and New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

The flight from Detroit Metro Wayne Co (DTW) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

The flight tracks east-southeast across southern Ontario briefly, then crosses into upstate New York near Buffalo and the Lake Ontario shoreline. The route passes over the Finger Lakes region of central New York — the long narrow lakes are clearly visible from cruise altitude. Further east, the Catskill Mountains appear as rolling elevated terrain before the descent into the Hudson Valley and the New York metro area.