Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Irkutsk to Beijing. While takeoff favors the right for Lake Baikal views, the landing approach on left-side seats offers more dramatic scenery with the Great Wall, Yanshan Mountains, and the transition from mountains to the North China Plain. The landing experience outweighs the takeoff advantage.

During takeoff from Irkutsk (IKT), sit on the Right side for the best views. Irkutsk typically departs to the east or northeast. Right-side seats offer views of Lake Baikal's northern reaches and the Angara River valley as the aircraft climbs. Left side faces inland terrain with less distinctive features. Notable sights include: Lake Baikal (world's deepest freshwater lake, visible as a massive elongated body of water), Angara River (flowing northwest from the lake), Khamar-Daban Range (low mountains south of the lake), Irkutsk city sprawl (visible briefly on approach to runway).

When landing at Capital (PEK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Beijing Capital typically lands from the northeast on runways 01L/01R or 16L/16R depending on wind. Left-side seats during approach offer views of the North China Plain, the Great Wall's eastern sections near Jinshanling, and the Yanshan Mountains. Right side faces less dramatic terrain. Notable sights include: Great Wall of China (visible as a thin, sinuous line on ridgelines northeast of the airport), Yanshan Mountains (low mountains forming the northern boundary of the North China Plain), Miyun Reservoir (large water body northeast of Beijing), North China Plain (vast, flat agricultural landscape with geometric field patterns).

The flight from Irkutsk (IKT) to Capital (PEK) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses the Mongolian Plateau, passing east of Ulaanbaatar. Notable features include the Khangai Mountains (visible as a low mountain range in central Mongolia), vast steppe grasslands with minimal settlements, and the transition from Siberian taiga to drier continental climate. The Gobi Desert's northern fringes become visible approaching Beijing. Few major cities or water bodies are prominent along the direct route; the landscape is predominantly open plateau and grassland.