Durban to Los Angeles flight path: DUR to LAX

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Durban to Los Angeles. The right side offers more consistent terrain interest at both ends of the flight — inland hills and mountains near Durban at takeoff, and the San Gabriel range framing the descent into LAX — while the left side is dominated by open ocean for most of the journey.

During takeoff from King Shaka International Airport (DUR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing DUR toward the southwest before the turn onto a westbound heading, the right side puts passengers looking inland toward the KwaZulu-Natal escarpment and the distant Drakensberg foothills, while the left side only shows the Indian Ocean falling away behind. Notable sights include: Drakensberg foothills, Valley of a Thousand Hills, Durban's Bluff headland, uMngeni River valley.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. On the standard west-flow approach into LAX, the aircraft descends over the Los Angeles basin with the San Gabriel Mountains framing the view to the north, visible on the right side of the plane, while the left side mostly shows flatter coastal suburbs and the ocean haze. Notable sights include: San Gabriel Mountains, Downtown Los Angeles skyline, Hollywood Hills, Santa Monica Bay.

The flight from King Shaka International Airport (DUR) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes about 17 hours 55 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 10,629 miles (17,106 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The route crosses the South Atlantic Ocean for many hours with no visible landmarks, passing well south of any islands, before making landfall again near the South American or Central American coast on approach to North America.