Helsinki to London flight path: HEL to LHR

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Helsinki to London. The left side wins on both ends of the flight — a scenic Helsinki archipelago departure and a London river-and-skyline approach — while the right side offers comparatively flat, less distinctive terrain during takeoff and a plainer suburban view on landing.

During takeoff from Helsinki Vantaa (HEL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing HEL toward the southwest, the left side overlooks Helsinki's harbor, the Suomenlinna fortress islands, and the scattered archipelago of the Gulf of Finland. The right side mostly shows flat forested and lake-dotted Finnish countryside with less visual variety. Notable sights include: Helsinki harbor, Suomenlinna island fortress, Gulf of Finland archipelago, Helsinki city skyline.

When landing at Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Left side for the best views. On the typical easterly approach into LHR's westerly-facing runways, the flight track descends across Greater London, and the left side gives a clear view down the Thames toward the City of London, Canary Wharf, and the London Eye before the final turn onto the runway. The right side mainly shows suburban north London with fewer identifiable landmarks. Notable sights include: River Thames, Canary Wharf towers, London Eye, City of London skyline.

The flight from Helsinki Vantaa (HEL) to Heathrow (LHR) takes 3h 20m.

The route crosses the Baltic Sea, southern Sweden near Malmö, the Danish islands and straits around Copenhagen, and the flat coastal plains of northern Germany and the Netherlands before crossing the North Sea into England.