Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Hong Kong to Shanghai. While takeoff offers excellent harbor views on the right, the landing approach on the left provides more sustained and dramatic geography—the Yangtze estuary, delta waterways, and Shanghai's sprawling urban transition are more visually distinctive than the departure corridor.

During takeoff from Hong Kong International (HKG), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats capture the Victoria Harbour waterfront and Kowloon Peninsula immediately after departure. HKG typically departs eastbound (runways 07L/07R), so right seats face north toward the urban core and harbor. Notable sights include: Victoria Harbour, Kowloon Peninsula skyline, Hong Kong Island peaks, New Territories urban sprawl.

When landing at Hongqiao International (SHA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left seats offer superior views during descent into SHA. Hongqiao typically uses runways 05L/05R (westbound approaches), so left-side seats face south and southwest toward the Yangtze River delta and approach path. Descending aircraft pass over Jiangsu Province's waterways and agricultural plains before the final turn. Notable sights include: Yangtze River estuary, Jiangsu Province waterways and farmland, Shanghai urban perimeter, Huangpu River bends.

The flight from Hong Kong International (HKG) to Hongqiao International (SHA) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses the Taiwan Strait at roughly the midpoint (around 26°N). At cruise altitude (35,000 feet), the strait itself is not distinctly visible, but the Fujian Province coastline becomes visible on the left (west) side around 90 minutes into the flight. The route then transitions over Zhejiang Province's coastal plains and inland waterways before beginning descent into the Yangtze delta region. Clear-day flights may reveal the Wuyi Mountains as a distant ridge on the western horizon during the Fujian passage.