Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Athens to Dubai. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. Over the Aegean you get the Greek island chains (Cyclades visible as scattered brown dots in the blue sea), then the Turkish coastline and Anatolian plateau, followed by the Zagros mountain foothills of Iran, and finally the UAE desert and Dubai coast on descent. The right side faces inland desert and open water with far less visual interest throughout.

During takeoff from Athinai (HEW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Athens airport (LGAV) typically departs eastward on runway 03R/21L or 03L/21R. Departing northeast toward the Aegean, the left side gives you the Athens city center, the Acropolis hill, and the Saronic Gulf coastline. The right side faces inland toward Attica's scrubby hills with little of interest. Notable sights include: Acropolis and Athens city center, Saronic Gulf and Piraeus port, Mount Hymettus ridge, Aegina island in the gulf.

When landing at Dubai International (DXB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dubai International typically lands on runways 12L/12R from the northwest, meaning the aircraft approaches from the northwest heading southeast. The left side faces northeast toward the Dubai Creek, Deira district, and the older city, while the right side looks toward the desert interior. On runway 30L/30R departures the geometry reverses, but the dominant landing direction gives left the urban and coastal views. Notable sights include: Dubai Creek and Deira district, Dubai city skyline including Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah visible to the southwest, Persian Gulf coastline.

The flight from Athinai (HEW) to Dubai International (DXB) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes.

The route crosses the Aegean Sea with the Cyclades islands visible below, then the Turkish coast near Rhodes and the Anatolian plateau. The flight passes over Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, then crosses southern Turkey or northern Syria depending on routing, before tracking over Iraq or the Persian Gulf region. The Zagros mountain foothills of western Iran may be visible to the right. The final approach crosses the flat UAE desert before reaching the Gulf coast at Dubai.