Washington to Delhi flight path: IAD to DEL

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Washington to Delhi. The left side offers the dramatic cruise-phase views over Greenland's icecap and coastal fjords along the polar routing, plus a chance at distant Himalayan foothills on the Delhi approach, giving it far more visual variety than the takeoff-only advantage on the right.

During takeoff from Washington Dulles International (IAD), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing IAD northbound, the aircraft typically banks east/northeast to pick up the polar great-circle route toward Greenland and Siberia, putting downtown Washington D.C. and the Chesapeake Bay's western shore in view on the right side during the climb. Notable sights include: Washington D.C. skyline (Capitol, Washington Monument), Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

When landing at Indira Gandhi International (DEL), sit on the Left side for the best views. On approach into Delhi from the northwest, the descent path crosses the Indo-Gangetic plain with the Himalayan foothills occasionally visible to the north; the final turn onto Delhi's east-west runways typically favors better foothill and river views on the left side. Notable sights include: Yamuna River, Delhi's dense urban grid, distant Himalayan foothill haze, agricultural patchwork of Haryana/Punjab plains.

The flight from Washington Dulles International (IAD) to Indira Gandhi International (DEL) takes about 15 hours 5 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 7,493 miles (12,059 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

Southern Greenland ice sheet and fjord coastline, Davis Strait, Arctic tundra of northern Russia, the Ural Mountains, and the steppe and desert basins of Kazakhstan and Central Asia before descending toward the Indo-Gangetic plain