Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. The left side delivers the spectacular Hong Kong departure — one of the most visually dense urban takeoffs in the world — and also captures the Alaskan coastline and parts of the Pacific Rim during the long overwater cruise. The LAX arrival view on the right is good but secondary to the Hong Kong departure experience.

During takeoff from Hong Kong International (HKG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Hong Kong International sits on Lantau Island and departures heading northeast toward the Pacific give left-side passengers views over Victoria Harbour, the dense skyscraper clusters of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, and the dramatic green peaks of the New Territories. The right side faces open water and the Pearl River Delta industrial zones, which are far less visually interesting. Notable sights include: Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island skyline, Kowloon Peninsula grid, Lion Rock and the New Territories ridgelines, Lantau Peak directly below during initial climb.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX runways 24L and 24R are used for westward landings, meaning the approach comes in from the east over the Los Angeles Basin. Right-side passengers get clear views of downtown LA, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the Pacific coastline as the aircraft descends over the basin. Left side faces south toward the South Bay and Long Beach, which is less dramatic. Notable sights include: Downtown Los Angeles skyline, Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills, Pacific Ocean coastline at Santa Monica, San Gabriel Mountains on the distant horizon.

The flight from Hong Kong International (HKG) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The great circle route arcs north over the East China Sea, the Japanese archipelago (Honshu and Hokkaido visible on clear days), the Aleutian Islands chain of Alaska, and then the Gulf of Alaska before tracking southeast down the Pacific Coast toward California. The vast majority of the flight is over open ocean with no land visible.