While the NYC skyline glimpse at takeoff is a nice bonus for the right side, the left side's approach into Seattle delivers the trip's most striking single landmark, Mount Rainier, paired with the city skyline and Puget Sound basin, giving it the edge for the full flight.
Flight Path
Great Lakes basin near Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, Upper Midwest farmland across Wisconsin and Minnesota, the northern Rocky Mountains near Montana and Glacier National Park, and the Cascade Range as the flight descends toward Washington state.
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Phase by phase
Takeoff from EWR
RIGHTDepartures off EWR typically climb out and bank to route westward, and that turn puts the Manhattan skyline and Hudson River into view on the right side for a minute or two before the plane settles onto its northwest heading. The left side mostly shows the flatter New Jersey meadowlands and suburbs.
Landing at SEA
LEFTArrivals into SEA from the east commonly get vectored north over Puget Sound before turning south to land, and on that leg the left side faces the city and the volcanic cone of Mount Rainier rising above the Cascade foothills. The right side instead looks toward the Olympic Mountains and open water, which is nice but less dramatic than an active stratovolcano.
Landmarks on this routeAll landmarks →
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About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Seattle Tacoma International (SEA)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Newark to Seattle. While the NYC skyline glimpse at takeoff is a nice bonus for the right side, the left side's approach into Seattle delivers the trip's most striking single landmark, Mount Rainier, paired with the city skyline and Puget Sound basin, giving it the edge for the full flight.
What can I see during takeoff from Newark Liberty International in Newark?
During takeoff from Newark Liberty International (EWR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departures off EWR typically climb out and bank to route westward, and that turn puts the Manhattan skyline and Hudson River into view on the right side for a minute or two before the plane settles onto its northwest heading. The left side mostly shows the flatter New Jersey meadowlands and suburbs. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, Newark Bay, Statue of Liberty (distant).
What can I see when landing at Seattle Tacoma International in Seattle?
When landing at Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Arrivals into SEA from the east commonly get vectored north over Puget Sound before turning south to land, and on that leg the left side faces the city and the volcanic cone of Mount Rainier rising above the Cascade foothills. The right side instead looks toward the Olympic Mountains and open water, which is nice but less dramatic than an active stratovolcano. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier, Seattle downtown skyline, Lake Washington, Cascade foothills.
How long is the flight from Newark to Seattle?
The flight from Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) takes 6h 15m.
What does the Newark to Seattle flight path pass over?
Great Lakes basin near Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, Upper Midwest farmland across Wisconsin and Minnesota, the northern Rocky Mountains near Montana and Glacier National Park, and the Cascade Range as the flight descends toward Washington state.