Sao Paulo to New York flight path: GRU to JFK

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Sao Paulo to New York. The right side captures both signature moments of this flight — the sweeping São Paulo skyline during the climb-out turn and the Manhattan skyline during the JFK approach — while the long overland-then-oceanic cruise portion offers similar, mostly flat or open-water scenery on either side.

During takeoff from Guarulhos (GRU), sit on the Right side for the best views. GRU departures toward the north typically climb out and bank right to establish the course for New York, putting São Paulo's immense high-rise skyline and the Tietê River valley directly below the right side during the turn. The left side mostly shows featureless western suburbs fading into haze. Notable sights include: São Paulo's Avenida Paulista high-rise cluster, the Tietê River winding through the metro basin, the forested Serra da Cantareira ridge on the city's northern edge.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Right side for the best views. JFK arrivals from the south typically align for runway 22L over Jamaica Bay, and on that heading Manhattan sits off to the northwest, placing its skyline on the right side of the cabin. The left side instead faces the flat marshlands of Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula, which is scenic but less striking than the skyline. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline including the Empire State Building and Midtown towers, the East River, Long Island Sound in the far distance, Jamaica Bay wetlands below the flight path.

The flight from Guarulhos (GRU) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes 9h 50m.

The route's midpoint lies over the northern Amazon fringe near the Venezuela-Guyana border, transitioning into the southern Caribbean Sea before the track continues north past the Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas toward the US East Coast.