Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Hanoi to Istanbul. The right side wins at both ends of the flight. During the route itself, the right side also faces generally south, offering views over the Yunnan plateau, the Himalayas' eastern foothills in the distance, the Tibetan Plateau edge, and later the Iranian plateau and Zagros Mountains as the aircraft tracks northwest. The left side is largely over open land with fewer dramatic features.

During takeoff from Noibai International (HAN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Noibai typically departs on runway 11L/11R heading east, then turns northwest toward the route. The right side captures the Red River delta spreading south, with Hanoi's urban core and Hoan Kiem district visible before the aircraft climbs out over the agricultural lowlands. The left side faces north toward less distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: Red River (Song Hong) snaking southeast, Hanoi urban core and West Lake (Ho Tay), Red River delta patchwork of rice paddies, Thang Long Bridge.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. Ataturk Airport's primary landing runway 06 brings aircraft in from the west over the Sea of Marmara. The right side faces south, giving a direct view of the Marmara shoreline, the Princes Islands, and as the aircraft descends, the historic peninsula of old Istanbul with the Bosphorus visible beyond. The left side looks north over suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Sea of Marmara, Princes Islands (Adalar), Historic Peninsula of Istanbul (Sultanahmet area), Bosphorus Strait.

The flight from Noibai International (HAN) to Ataturk (IST) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route tracks northwest from Hanoi over Yunnan Province (China), skirting the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, crossing southern Xinjiang or northern India depending on routing, then over Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iran, across the Iranian Plateau and the Zagros Mountains, over eastern Turkey and Anatolia before descending into Istanbul. Key features include the Yunnan highlands, the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges in the far distance, the Iranian salt deserts (Dasht-e Kavir), and the Anatolian plateau.