Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Delhi. The left side wins overall. At takeoff you get the Bosphorus and Istanbul's iconic waterway geography. Through the cruise, the left side faces generally south and southeast, offering better angles over the Iranian plateau, the Zagros mountain ridgelines, and the approach into the subcontinent. The takeoff view from the left is the single most dramatic moment of the flight.

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 a clear view back over the Bosphorus strait, the Golden Horn, and the dense urban sprawl of European Istanbul. The right side faces south toward the Sea of Marmara but the city's most iconic geography is to the north. Notable sights include: Bosphorus strait, Golden Horn inlet, Sea of Marmara to the south, European Istanbul city grid.

When landing at Indira Gandhi International (DEL), sit on the Right side for the best views. IGI Delhi typically lands from the west on runway 28 or from the east on runway 10. On the common westward approach over the city, the right (north) side gives views over central Delhi including Connaught Place, the ridge, and the Yamuna River. On an eastward approach, the right side still captures the Yamuna floodplain and New Delhi's planned geometry. Notable sights include: Yamuna River, New Delhi urban grid, Connaught Place area, Delhi Ridge forested area.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Indira Gandhi International (DEL) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The route crosses eastern Turkey and the Armenian Highlands, then tracks over northwestern Iran and the Zagros Mountains — a series of parallel folded ridges clearly visible from altitude. The flight then crosses the Iranian plateau, southern Afghanistan or Pakistan depending on routing, before descending over the Thar Desert and the flat Indo-Gangetic plain into Delhi. The Zagros ridgelines and the stark transition from the Iranian plateau to the Pakistani lowlands are the most visually striking geographic features en route.