Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Newark to Austin. Left side delivers the two best moments of the flight: the Manhattan and Hudson River panorama on departure, and the Austin skyline with Lady Bird Lake on arrival. The mid-flight view over the Appalachians and Ozarks is relatively similar on both sides, so the left side wins decisively on the bookend views.

During takeoff from Newark Liberty International (EWR), sit on the Left side for the best views. EWR departures heading southwest on runway 22L/22R put Manhattan directly off the left side during initial climb. You get a clear view of the Hudson River, the full Manhattan skyline, and the Statue of Liberty before the aircraft turns west. This is one of the most iconic urban departure views in aviation. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, Newark Bay.

When landing at Austin Bergstrom International (AUS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Austin Bergstrom's primary arrival runway 17L brings aircraft in from the north heading south, placing the Austin city skyline and the Colorado River (Lady Bird Lake) off the left side during final approach. You get a direct view of downtown Austin's compact skyline and the distinctive green ribbon of the lake just before touchdown. Notable sights include: Austin downtown skyline, Lady Bird Lake (Colorado River), South Congress corridor, Travis County Hill Country to the west.

The flight from Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Austin Bergstrom International (AUS) takes Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes.

The flight tracks southwest over the Pennsylvania and Maryland Appalachians, where the Ridge and Valley province creates a striking series of parallel forested ridgelines visible from altitude. Crossing into Tennessee and Arkansas, the terrain flattens into the Mississippi Embayment lowlands. The Mississippi River itself is often visible as a wide brown meandering ribbon near Memphis. Over Arkansas and into Texas the land becomes the flat to gently rolling Gulf Coastal Plain, with the Ouachita Mountains visible as a low dark ridge in central Arkansas. Eastern Texas is characterized by pine forest transitioning to open ranch land as you approach Austin.