Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Gilgit to Islamabad. Right-side seats dominate this route. Takeoff offers unmatched views of the Karakoram's highest peaks in the immediate vicinity. While landing favors the left, the dramatic mountain scenery at departure—which is more visually striking and closer to the aircraft—gives the right side the overall advantage.

During takeoff from Gilgit (GIL), sit on the Right side for the best views. Gilgit typically departs to the south or southeast. Right-side seats capture the dramatic Karakoram Range peaks immediately surrounding the airport, including Rakaposhi (7,788m) and the steep valley walls that define this high-altitude basin. Notable sights include: Rakaposhi massif (northeast of airport), Hunza River valley (visible as a narrow gorge below), Gilgit town (small settlement on valley floor), surrounding Karakoram peaks.

When landing at Chaklala (ISB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Islamabad's Chaklala runway typically uses 30/12 headings. On approach from the north, left-side seats offer views of the Margalla Hills' distinctive ridgeline and the city's northern districts spreading across the Potwar Plateau, with the Rawalpindi cantonment visible to the west. Notable sights include: Margalla Hills (northern boundary of Islamabad), Rawalpindi city (west of approach path), Potwar Plateau (undulating terrain), Islamabad's grid-pattern sectors (visible as geometric urban layout).

The flight from Gilgit (GIL) to Chaklala (ISB) takes Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

The flight path descends from the Karakoram basin through the Indus River gorge system. Around the midpoint, the aircraft crosses from high mountain terrain (12,000-16,000 feet) into the Potwar Plateau region. The Indus River is occasionally visible as a thin line in the deeper valleys during the descent phase. The transition from alpine terrain to semi-arid plateau is gradual but distinct—snow-capped peaks give way to brown, eroded foothills and then to the flatter, more developed plateau landscape approaching Islamabad.