Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Houston to Anchorage. Left wins both ends of the flight. During the cruise over Canada and the Alaska panhandle, the left side also tends to face the Coast Mountains and eventually the St. Elias Range as you track northwest, giving you the better mountain views throughout the flight.

During takeoff from George Bush Intcntl Houston (IAH), sit on the Left side for the best views. IAH primarily departs northbound on runways 26L/R or 15L/R. On a northwesterly departure toward Alaska, the left side gives you a view back over downtown Houston's skyline and the ship channel industrial complex. The right side faces open suburban sprawl with little of interest. Notable sights include: Downtown Houston skyline, Houston Ship Channel and refineries, Lake Houston to the northeast, Buffalo Bayou corridor.

When landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC), sit on the Left side for the best views. ANC typically lands on runway 07L/R from the east or runway 33 from the north. On approach from the south or southeast, the left side faces the Chugach Mountains and the dramatic Turnagain Arm inlet. The right side looks toward the Knik Arm and the Alaska Range in the far distance, which is also good, but the Chugach and Turnagain Arm combination on the left is more immediately spectacular. Notable sights include: Chugach Mountains, Turnagain Arm, Cook Inlet, downtown Anchorage against the mountain backdrop.

The flight from George Bush Intcntl Houston (IAH) to Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) takes Approximately 7 to 7.5 hours.

The route tracks northwest over the Texas Panhandle, then across Colorado and Wyoming (Rocky Mountains visible below on clear days), into Montana and Alberta, then northwest across British Columbia where the Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains dominate. Over the Alaska panhandle the St. Elias Range appears including Wrangell-St. Elias peaks, before descending into the Matanuska-Susitna Valley toward Anchorage.