Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Bangkok. Left side wins both departure and arrival. During the cruise portion heading southeast, the left side also tracks closer to the Anatolian plateau, the Taurus Mountains over southern Turkey, and the coastlines of the eastern Mediterranean and Andaman Sea regions, making it the consistently better side for the full journey.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. IST departures heading east typically use runway 06, putting the left side facing north toward the Bosphorus Strait, the Golden Horn, and the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet. You get a sweeping view of the city straddling two continents as you climb out over the Sea of Marmara. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Sea of Marmara, Sultanahmet historic peninsula, Prince's Islands.

When landing at Bangkok International (BKK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) handles this route, and aircraft typically approach from the north or northeast on runway 19L/19R, meaning the left side faces east toward the Gulf of Thailand and the Chao Phraya River delta. The river's meandering path through Bangkok's urban sprawl is clearly visible on descent. Notable sights include: Chao Phraya River, Gulf of Thailand coastline, Bangkok urban grid, Bang Pakong River delta.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Bangkok International (BKK) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route crosses southeastern Turkey over the Taurus Mountains, then passes over northern Syria and Iraq, traverses the Iranian plateau and Zagros Mountains, crosses the Arabian Sea coast near Pakistan, overflies the Indian subcontinent across Rajasthan and central India, then descends over the Bay of Bengal and the Malay Peninsula before approaching Bangkok from the north.