Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Ankara. Left side delivers the most dramatic moment of the flight — the Bosphorus and Istanbul panorama on departure — and also provides the better Ankara approach view. The right side has the Sea of Marmara on departure but misses the city geography at both ends.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. IST typically departs eastward on runway 06, so the left (north) side gives you a clear view back over the Bosphorus strait, the Golden Horn, and the historic peninsula of old Istanbul. The right side faces south toward the Sea of Marmara suburbs with less dramatic geography. Notable sights include: Bosphorus strait, Golden Horn inlet, historic Sultanahmet peninsula, Prince's Islands (Adalar) in the Sea of Marmara.

When landing at Esenboga (ESB), sit on the Left side for the best views. ESB runway 21 approach from the north puts the left side facing east toward the open Anatolian plateau and the city of Ankara itself spreading across the hills. The right side faces west into relatively featureless flat steppe. On runway 03 departures the geometry reverses but runway 21 is the dominant arrival direction. Notable sights include: Ankara city center and Citadel hill (Ankara Kalesi), Atatürk Mausoleum (Anitkabir) visible as a hilltop complex, Eymir Lake south of the city, rolling Anatolian plateau.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Esenboga (ESB) takes Approximately 55 to 70 minutes.

The flight crosses the northwestern Anatolian plateau, passing over the Sakarya River valley and the low Köroğlu mountain range (peaks around 6,500 ft) roughly midway. The terrain is predominantly dry rolling steppe with scattered small towns. Lake Tuz (Salt Lake) is too far south of the direct route to be visible. The landscape is largely featureless plateau at cruising altitude.