Houston to Washington flight path: HOU to DCA

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Houston to Washington. The right side captures the Galveston Bay departure and, more importantly, the celebrated River Visual arrival past the Potomac's monuments — the single most scenic moment of this route. The left side offers only flat coastal plain and interior terrain with no comparable landmarks.

During takeoff from William P Hobby (HOU), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing on 13R from Hobby, the aircraft initially tracks southeast over Galveston Bay before turning northeast toward DC. That turn puts the bay, ship channel, and Gulf coastline on the right side briefly before the plane settles onto its cruise heading. Notable sights include: Galveston Bay, Houston Ship Channel, Gulf of Mexico coastline.

When landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), sit on the Right side for the best views. The River Visual approach to Runway 19 tracks south along the Potomac, and the National Mall's monuments, the Capitol, and the Pentagon sit on the right side of the aircraft as it follows the river's bends into DCA. Notable sights include: Potomac River, Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, Pentagon.

The flight from William P Hobby (HOU) to Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) takes 2h 35m.

Flat coastal plains of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, with the Mississippi River crossed near Baton Rouge; the route stays well south of the Appalachian ridgelines.