Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Havana to Miami. The right side wins overall because the Havana departure view is genuinely spectacular — the harbor, the old city, and the coastline all come together in the first few minutes of flight. The crossing of the Straits of Florida is mostly open water on both sides, and while the Miami approach on the left is excellent, the Havana departure on the right is the more unique and memorable view of the two.

During takeoff from Jose Marti International (HAV), sit on the Right side for the best views. HAV typically departs on runway 06 heading northeast, which puts the right side facing north toward Havana's harbor, the old city grid, and the coastline of the Straits of Florida. You get a clear look at the bay and the urban layout of central Havana as the aircraft climbs out over the water. Notable sights include: Havana Harbor and its narrow entrance channel, the grid of Old Havana (Habana Vieja), the Malecón seafront boulevard, the coastline of northern Cuba curving east toward Matanzas.

When landing at Miami International (MIA), sit on the Left side for the best views. MIA typically lands on runway 09 approaching from the west, or runway 27 from the east. On the more common approach from the west on runway 08L/09, the left side faces south toward Biscayne Bay, Key Biscayne, and the Miami Beach barrier island. You see the downtown Miami skyline, the bay, and the causeway network clearly on descent. Notable sights include: Biscayne Bay and its shallow turquoise flats, the Miami downtown skyline, Key Biscayne and Virginia Key, the MacArthur and Venetian causeways connecting Miami Beach.

The flight from Jose Marti International (HAV) to Miami International (MIA) takes Approximately 45 to 55 minutes.

The flight crosses the Straits of Florida, a body of water roughly 90 miles wide at this crossing point. The Florida Current, part of the Gulf Stream system, flows northeast through this channel and is sometimes visible as a color contrast in the water — deeper blue against the lighter turquoise of the Bahama Banks to the east. The Florida Keys may be faintly visible on the right side as the aircraft approaches the US coast, with the chain of islands appearing as a thin broken line near the horizon.