Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Islamabad. The right side wins overall. The Istanbul departure gives you the Bosphorus and historic city, and during cruise the right side tracks the southern Caspian coast, the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran, and the Hindu Kush foothills approaching Pakistan. The landing view on the left is excellent but the departure and cruise scenery tips the balance to the right.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. Istanbul's main departure runway 06 sends you northeast over the city. The right side gives you the Bosphorus strait, the historic peninsula with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and the Golden Horn waterway. Left side gets suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, historic Sultanahmet peninsula, Golden Horn inlet, Galata Bridge area.

When landing at Chaklala (ISB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Islamabad's runway 12 approach from the northwest puts the Margalla Hills directly on the left side as you descend. These are the southernmost foothills of the Himalayas and are visually dramatic against the flat Potwar Plateau. Right side faces open agricultural plains. Notable sights include: Margalla Hills, Islamabad city grid, Rawal Lake, Potwar Plateau.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Chaklala (ISB) takes Approximately 4 hours 30 minutes.

The route crosses northwestern Turkey, then the Black Sea coast briefly, before tracking over northern Iran where the Alborz mountain range is visible as a continuous snow-capped chain south of the Caspian. The flight then crosses the high plateau of eastern Iran and Afghanistan, with the Hindu Kush appearing as a rugged high-altitude massif before descent into the Indus plains toward Islamabad.