Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Newark to San Diego. The right side wins overall due to the exceptional San Diego Bay and Coronado Bridge arrival view, plus mid-flight right-side views of the Colorado Rockies and Mojave Desert terrain. The left side wins at takeoff but the right side delivers more consistently across the full flight.

During takeoff from Newark Liberty International (EWR), sit on the Left side for the best views. EWR departures heading west or southwest on runway 22L/22R put Manhattan and the Hudson River on the left side. You get a clear view of the NYC skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and the harbor before climbing out over New Jersey. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, Newark Bay.

When landing at San Diego International Lindbergh Fld (SAN), sit on the Right side for the best views. SAN runway 27 approaches from the east over Mission Valley, putting San Diego Bay, Coronado Island, and the Pacific Ocean on the right side. The final approach over downtown gives a spectacular low-altitude view of the bay and the Coronado Bridge. Notable sights include: San Diego Bay, Coronado Island and Bridge, Pacific Ocean, Downtown San Diego skyline.

The flight from Newark Liberty International (EWR) to San Diego International Lindbergh Fld (SAN) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes.

The flight tracks roughly along 38-40N latitude westbound, crossing the Appalachians over Pennsylvania, then the flat Ohio and Indiana farmland, crossing the Mississippi River near St. Louis, then the Great Plains of Kansas and Colorado. The Rocky Mountains appear over Colorado with the Front Range visible, then the high desert plateau of Utah and Nevada, crossing the Mojave Desert before descending into Southern California over the San Bernardino Mountains and the Los Angeles Basin to the north.