Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai. Left side wins both ends of the flight. During the cruise, the left (south) side also has better views over Central Asia — the Tian Shan range appears as a dramatic snow-capped wall to the south when flying over Kazakhstan, and the Gobi Desert transitions are visible on descent into China.

During takeoff from Frankfurt Main (FRA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Frankfurt departures on runway 07L/07R head east, putting the left (north) side facing the Main River valley and Frankfurt city center. You get a clear view of the Rhine-Main confluence area and the Frankfurt skyline receding behind you. Notable sights include: Frankfurt city skyline (Bankenviertel towers), Main River bends, Taunus hills to the northwest, Rhine River visible to the west.

When landing at Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. PVG arrivals typically approach from the west on runway 34L/34R or from the east on 16L/16R. On the common westerly approach heading southeast, the left side faces the Huangpu River, Pudong skyline, and the dense urban grid of central Shanghai. The right side sees open East China Sea and flat reclaimed land. Notable sights include: Pudong skyline (Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao), Huangpu River S-bend, Yangtze River mouth to the north, Chongming Island.

The flight from Frankfurt Main (FRA) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) takes Approximately 10.5 to 11.5 hours.

The route tracks east over Austria and the Alps, then across Ukraine and southern Russia, over the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan steppe, the Tian Shan mountain range (visible to the south), the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang, the Gobi Desert, and descends over eastern China's Yangtze Delta plain into Shanghai