Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Helsinki to Shanghai. While takeoff favors the right, the landing view from the left is significantly more dramatic and memorable—the Huangpu River's sharp meander and Pudong's iconic skyline are among Asia's most striking aerial views. The landing experience outweighs the takeoff advantage.

During takeoff from Helsinki Vantaa (HEL), sit on the Right side for the best views. Helsinki Vantaa typically departs runways 04L/04R (northeast heading) or 22L/22R (southwest heading). Right-side seats on a northeast departure capture the Gulf of Finland's archipelago and the city of Helsinki spreading across the southern coastline. Southwest departures favor left seats, but northeast is more common for eastbound traffic to Asia. Notable sights include: Gulf of Finland (Suomenlahti) with its scattered skerries and islands, Helsinki city center along the southern shore, Tallinn visible across the gulf to the south on clear days, Lake Tuusula to the north.

When landing at Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Shanghai Pudong typically lands on runways 08L/08R (east heading) or 26L/26R (west heading). Left-side seats on an eastbound approach (08L/08R) provide views of the Huangpu River's dramatic bend, the Pudong skyline with Oriental Pearl Tower, and the Bund's colonial architecture across the river. This is the standard approach for most international traffic. Notable sights include: Huangpu River with its characteristic sharp meander through Shanghai, Pudong's forest of high-rise towers including Oriental Pearl Tower, the Bund's historic waterfront district on the west bank, Yangpu Bridge spanning the river to the north.

The flight from Helsinki Vantaa (HEL) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) takes Approximately 9.5 to 10.5 hours.

The route crosses the Ural Mountains (visible around 3-4 hours into flight as a low, forested ridge on the horizon), then passes over the steppes of Kazakhstan and western Siberia. The Caspian Sea appears as a large inland water body roughly 5-6 hours into the flight. Further east, the route crosses the Altai Mountains region and eventually the Sayan Mountains before descending into China. The Taklamakan Desert becomes visible in the final 2-3 hours as a vast tan expanse. Lake Balkal may be visible on clear days depending on exact routing. Most of the midpoint flight crosses sparsely populated terrain with limited distinctive landmarks—the view is primarily of vast forest, steppe, and mountain ranges at distance.