Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Durban to Istanbul. The right side captures the dramatic Durban harbour and Indian Ocean coastline on departure, and during the flight offers views over the Red Sea corridor and the Nile Delta if routing via Egypt. The left side wins at Istanbul but the takeoff scenery on the right is more distinctive overall, and the right side also gets the Sinai Peninsula and parts of the Eastern Mediterranean coast during cruise.

During takeoff from Durban International (DUR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Durban's main runway 06/24 means departures heading northeast give the right side a clear view over the Bluff headland and the Indian Ocean coastline stretching north toward Umhlanga. The city centre and harbour basin are also visible to the right as the aircraft climbs out over the bay. Notable sights include: Durban Harbour and Point Waterfront, The Bluff headland, Umhlanga coastline to the north, Indian Ocean bay arc.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Ataturk Airport's primary landing approach from the east on runway 06 puts the left side facing north over the Bosphorus Strait and the Golden Horn, with the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet clearly visible. The Sea of Marmara is on the right but the left offers the iconic Istanbul skyline with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia silhouettes. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn inlet, Sultanahmet historic peninsula with Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque domes, Sea of Marmara.

The flight from Durban International (DUR) to Ataturk (IST) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route typically tracks north over Mozambique and Tanzania, crossing the Horn of Africa region, then over the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, across Saudi Arabia and the Hejaz Mountains, over the Sinai Peninsula with the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba visible, across the Eastern Mediterranean, and over western Turkey before descending into Istanbul. The Nile Delta's green fan spreading into the Mediterranean is a distinctive feature if routing via Egypt.