Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Chicago. Left side wins both ends of the flight. Over the Bosphorus and Istanbul on departure, and over Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline on arrival, the left side consistently delivers the more dramatic and geographically interesting views. The right side over central Europe and the North Atlantic offers little differentiation at cruise altitude.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing IST typically uses runway 06 heading northeast, or runway 35L/35R heading north. On a westbound transatlantic routing, aircraft often climb out over the Sea of Marmara. Left side gives you the Istanbul city center, the Bosphorus strait, and the historic peninsula with its dense urban fabric clearly visible below. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul historic peninsula (Sultanahmet area visible as dense urban grid), Prince's Islands in the Marmara.

When landing at Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD arrivals from the east typically use runways 10L/10R or 28L/28R depending on wind. On an approach from the east or northeast, the left side gives a clear view of Lake Michigan's southern shoreline, the Chicago downtown skyline, and the lakefront grid as the aircraft descends over the suburbs. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan southern shoreline, Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower and surrounding high-rises), suburban grid of Cook County, O'Hare airport layout visible on final.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Chicago Ohare International (ORD) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The route tracks northwest over Bulgaria and Romania, then across Central Europe over Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands before crossing the North Sea and the UK. It then heads out over the North Atlantic, passing south of Iceland and Greenland. The Great Lakes region is crossed during descent. At cruise altitude over the Atlantic, there is little to see beyond open ocean, but the European leg offers views of the Alps on the right side and the Rhine valley below.