Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from East London to New York. While the takeoff offers coastal scenery, the landing approach into JFK provides more dramatic and visually distinctive views of Jamaica Bay, the Rockaways, and the New York metropolitan area. Right-side seats capture the most compelling portion of this transatlantic route.

During takeoff from East London (ELS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats offer views of the Eastern Cape coastline and the Indian Ocean as the aircraft climbs out westward. You'll see the dramatic transition from East London's urban sprawl to the rugged coastal cliffs and beaches that define this region. Notable sights include: East London harbor and beachfront, Nahoon Peninsula, Indian Ocean coastline, Amatola Mountains (inland to the northwest).

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats provide excellent views during the descent into JFK as the aircraft approaches from the Atlantic. You'll see the New York metropolitan area sprawl, Jamaica Bay, and the distinctive geography of Long Island and the Rockaways. Notable sights include: Jamaica Bay and its barrier islands, The Rockaways peninsula, Long Island Sound, Manhattan skyline (distant).

The flight from East London (ELS) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 14-15 hours.

The flight path crosses the South Atlantic, passing over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region (not visible at surface level), then approaches the North American continent. Notable features along the route include the African coastline departure, the vast Atlantic Ocean (featureless at cruise altitude), and the approach to the North American coast near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina before turning north toward New York. At cruise altitude, the Atlantic crossing offers minimal visual landmarks—primarily open ocean with occasional cloud formations.