Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seoul to New York. The JFK arrival on the left side delivers the iconic Manhattan skyline view, which is one of the most recognizable aerial approaches in the world. While the right side wins at departure for the Yellow Sea and archipelago views, the left side arrival into JFK is the more memorable payoff for the full journey.

During takeoff from Incheon International (ICN), sit on the Right side for the best views. ICN departures on runway 15R/16 head roughly southward, putting the Yellow Sea and the islands of the Incheon archipelago on the right side. You also get a clear view back toward the Han River estuary and the western Seoul metro sprawl as the aircraft banks northeast toward the polar route. Notable sights include: Yellow Sea and Incheon island archipelago, Han River estuary, western Seoul urban grid, Gyeonggi Bay coastal mudflats.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK arrivals typically come in from the east or northeast on runway 31L/31R, meaning the aircraft approaches over Jamaica Bay and Long Island. The left side gives you the Manhattan skyline in the distance to the northwest, Brooklyn, and the full sweep of New York Harbor as you descend. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline on the horizon, Jamaica Bay and its wildlife refuge, Brooklyn waterfront, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

The flight from Incheon International (ICN) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 13 to 14 hours westbound on the polar route.

The great circle polar route takes the aircraft north over the Sea of Japan, across the Kamchatka Peninsula and its volcanic peaks, then over the Bering Sea and southern Alaska — the Alaska Range including Denali may be visible in clear conditions — followed by the vast boreal forest of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Hudson Bay, and finally the Great Lakes region before descending toward the northeastern US seaboard