Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Johannesburg to Doha. The right side wins overall because the Johannesburg departure offers genuinely distinctive and photogenic views of the mine dumps and urban grid that are unique to this region, and during the cruise the right side tracks closer to the Red Sea coastline and the Arabian Peninsula's western edge as the route arcs northeast. The Doha landing view on the left is excellent but brief.

During takeoff from Grand Central (GCJ), sit on the Right side for the best views. Grand Central typically departs northward on runway 35, so a right-side seat faces east toward the Magaliesberg range and the Highveld plateau. You get a clear view back over Johannesburg's dense urban grid and the distinctive mine dumps of the East Rand as the aircraft climbs out. Notable sights include: Johannesburg CBD skyline to the south, East Rand gold mine dumps (pale yellow flat-topped mounds), Magaliesberg ridge to the northeast, Midrand industrial corridor below.

When landing at Doha International (DOH), sit on the Left side for the best views. Doha International Airport's main runway 34L/16R means arrivals from the south typically land heading north, putting the left side facing west over Doha Bay and the West Bay skyline. The Qatar peninsula's coastline and the shallow turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf are clearly visible on the left. Notable sights include: Doha Bay and West Bay skyline, Qatar peninsula coastline, shallow turquoise Persian Gulf waters, Palm Tree Island (Doha waterfront).

The flight from Grand Central (GCJ) to Doha International (DOH) takes Approximately 8 hours 30 minutes.

The route tracks northeast over Zimbabwe and Mozambique, crosses the Mozambique Channel, passes over Tanzania and the East African coast near Dar es Salaam, then crosses the Indian Ocean before reaching the Horn of Africa region near Somalia and Djibouti, transiting the Gulf of Aden, crossing the southern Arabian Peninsula over Yemen and Oman, and descending into Qatar over the Persian Gulf. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coastlines are visible during the northern portion of the flight.