Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Houston to Phoenix. The right side delivers the best views at both ends of the flight — Houston's skyline and Ship Channel on departure, and Phoenix's desert basin with South Mountain on arrival. During cruise over West Texas and New Mexico, the right side also faces slightly more southward toward the Chihuahuan Desert terrain and the distant Sacramento Mountains.

During takeoff from William P Hobby (HOU), sit on the Right side for the best views. Hobby typically departs northwest on runway 22/31, putting the right side facing northeast over central Houston. You get a clear view of downtown Houston's skyline, the Ship Channel, and the sprawling urban grid before the aircraft turns west toward Phoenix. Notable sights include: Downtown Houston skyline, Houston Ship Channel, Clear Lake area to the southeast, Galveston Bay glinting in the distance.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Phoenix Sky Harbor primarily uses east-facing runways (26/25) for westward landings, meaning the aircraft approaches from the east. The right side faces south toward South Mountain Park and the broader Sonoran Desert basin, while also capturing the Phoenix metro grid and the Salt River bed on final approach. Notable sights include: South Mountain Park and preserve, Phoenix urban grid and downtown skyline, Salt River dry bed, Superstition Mountains on the distant eastern horizon during approach.

The flight from William P Hobby (HOU) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

The flight crosses the Texas Hill Country west of San Antonio, then the flat Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas and southern New Mexico. The Rio Grande valley near El Paso is visible as a thin green corridor cutting through brown desert. Further west, the flight crosses the Lordsburg basin and the Dos Cabezas Mountains before entering the broad flat Sonoran Desert basin approaching Phoenix.