Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Dhaka. The left side delivers the spectacular Bosphorus and Istanbul panorama on departure, and along the flight path over eastern Turkey and Iran the left side faces south toward the Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges. The right side has the edge only at landing. Left wins overall for the quality and variety of views across the full journey.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. IST typically departs eastbound on runway 06, so the left (north) side gives you the Bosphorus Strait, the Golden Horn, and the historic peninsula of old Istanbul with its dense skyline. The right side faces south over the Sea of Marmara with less geographic drama at low altitude. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn inlet, historic Sultanahmet peninsula, Prince's Islands in the Marmara.

When landing at Zia International (DAC), sit on the Right side for the best views. DAC's runway 14 approach from the northwest puts the right side facing southwest over the Buriganga River and the dense urban core of Dhaka. The Padma and Meghna river systems and the vast wetlands of the Bengal delta are clearly visible on the right during descent. Notable sights include: Buriganga River, Dhaka urban core, Padma-Meghna river confluence, Bangladesh delta wetlands.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Zia International (DAC) takes Approximately 7 to 8 hours.

The route crosses eastern Turkey and the Armenian Highlands with volcanic peaks including Mount Ararat visible at around 16,854 ft, then tracks over northwestern Iran and the Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges, crosses Afghanistan's Hindu Kush foothills, passes over Pakistan's Indus River plain near Lahore, and descends across the flat alluvial Bengal delta into Dhaka. The Indus River and its tributaries are clearly visible as wide braided channels over Pakistan.