Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Newark to Johannesburg. The Johannesburg approach on the right is the single most visually distinctive moment of the flight — the CBD skyline, Witwatersrand ridge, and tailings dumps are genuinely unusual and memorable. The Newark left-side departure is excellent but Manhattan views are widely seen. Right side also catches the West African coastline during the long Atlantic crossing if you are awake at the right time.

During takeoff from Newark Liberty International (EWR), sit on the Left side for the best views. EWR typically departs on runway 22L/22R heading southwest, then aircraft turn southeast over the Atlantic. A left seat gives you the Manhattan skyline and Upper New York Bay before the turn, then the New Jersey coastline as you climb out. Right side gets the industrial Newark/Elizabeth waterfront, which is far less dramatic. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline and Hudson River, Upper New York Bay and Statue of Liberty, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New Jersey coastline stretching toward Sandy Hook.

When landing at Johannesburg International (JNB), sit on the Right side for the best views. OR Tambo International sits east of Johannesburg, and aircraft typically approach from the east on runway 03L/03R heading north or from the south on runway 21. On a northward approach, the right side faces west toward the Johannesburg CBD skyline and the Witwatersrand ridge. The left side gets the flat East Rand townships and industrial zones, which are far less visually interesting. Notable sights include: Johannesburg CBD skyline and Hillbrow Tower, Witwatersrand ridge running east-west, East Rand mining headgear and tailings dumps, Soweto cooling towers (if approach track passes south).

The flight from Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Johannesburg International (JNB) takes Approximately 15 to 16 hours.

The route tracks southeast from Newark across the North Atlantic, passing well east of Bermuda, then crosses the equatorial Atlantic roughly between West Africa and Brazil. The flight passes over or near the Gulf of Guinea and the West African coastline — countries such as Ghana, Togo, Benin, or Nigeria may be visible depending on exact routing. The Congo Basin rainforest is crossed in the dark hours for most schedules. The Kalahari and Highveld plateau are visible on descent into Johannesburg. There are no significant mountain ranges directly on the route, and most of the crossing is open ocean.