Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Beijing. Left wins at both ends of the flight. Across the route, the left side also tracks closer to the southern edge of the flight path over Central Asia, offering better views of the Tian Shan range and the Taklimakan Basin edge on the long cruise segment.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Ataturk 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 toward the Sea of Marmara, which is scenic but less historically rich. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Golden Horn inlet, historic Sultanahmet peninsula, Bosphorus Bridge (15 July Martyrs Bridge).

When landing at Capital (PEK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Beijing Capital Airport typically lands on westbound headings (runway 01/19 or 36/18 depending on traffic), and on approach from the west the left side faces south toward central Beijing, giving views of the city grid, the Olympic Park area, and the urban core. The right side faces north toward less distinctive suburban and rural terrain. Notable sights include: Beijing urban grid and ring roads, Olympic Green and Bird's Nest stadium area, Ming Tombs reservoir to the northwest, Yanshan foothills on the northern horizon.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Capital (PEK) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route crosses the Black Sea coast of Turkey, then the Caucasus or northern Iran depending on routing, followed by the Caspian Sea, the vast Central Asian steppe of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Tian Shan mountain range with peaks above 20,000 feet, the Taklimakan Desert of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, the Gobi Desert, and finally the North China Plain descending into Beijing