Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Indianapolis to Los Angeles. While the left side wins at takeoff with the Indianapolis skyline, the right side delivers the more dramatic payoff on the entire western half of the flight — the Rockies in Colorado and New Mexico appear on the right side as the route tracks southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains on approach to LAX are the visual highlight of the trip.

During takeoff from Indianapolis International (IND), sit on the Left side for the best views. IND primarily uses runways 5L/5R and 23L/23R. On a westbound departure, aircraft typically take off heading east then turn southwest. The left side picks up downtown Indianapolis skyline and the White River corridor as the aircraft banks west. The right side faces mostly flat suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Downtown Indianapolis skyline, White River, Eagle Creek Reservoir, suburban grid of Marion County.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX approaches from the east on runways 24L/24R heading west. The right side (north-facing) gives you the Santa Monica Mountains, the Hollywood Hills, and the Los Angeles Basin sprawl. The left side faces south toward the South Bay and open Pacific, which is less visually dramatic on approach. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Mountains, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles Basin urban grid, Santa Monica Bay coastline.

The flight from Indianapolis International (IND) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours.

The flight tracks southwest over Illinois farmland, crosses the Mississippi River near St. Louis, then traverses the Ozark Plateau in Missouri and Arkansas. Over Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle the terrain becomes high plains. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains and southern Rockies appear in New Mexico and Colorado. The Mojave Desert dominates the final hour before the San Gabriel Mountains signal the approach to the LA Basin.