Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Guangzhou. The right side wins overall due to the spectacular Bosphorus and Istanbul panorama on departure, which is one of the finest urban aerial views in the world. The flight then tracks east-northeast over central China where both sides offer similar terrain, and the landing views on the left are good but less dramatic than the Istanbul departure.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. Ataturk typically departs eastbound on runway 06, so the right side faces north toward the Bosphorus Strait, the Golden Horn, and the historic peninsula of old Istanbul. You get a sweeping view of one of the world's most recognizable cityscapes during climb-out. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn inlet, historic Sultanahmet peninsula, Marmara Sea to the south.

When landing at Baiyun (CAN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Guangzhou Baiyun typically lands from the east or northeast on runways oriented roughly north-south, with final approach from the south or north. On a northerly approach, the left side faces west toward the Pearl River Delta and central Guangzhou's urban core, including the Canton Tower and the river bends. On a southerly approach, the left side still captures the Pearl River as it fans out toward the delta. Notable sights include: Pearl River and its delta channels, Guangzhou urban core, Canton Tower district, low flat delta farmland patchwork.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Baiyun (CAN) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route crosses the Black Sea coast of Turkey, then tracks over the Caucasus region or northern Iran depending on routing, crosses the Caspian Sea, then traverses the vast Central Asian steppe and Xinjiang desert basin including the Tarim Basin and Taklamakan Desert, crosses the Tianshan mountain range, then descends over the densely populated Sichuan Basin and Hunan province before reaching the Pearl River Delta