Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Seoul East. While left offers better takeoff views, right side dominates the landing sequence with more dramatic and extended scenery. The approach into Seoul provides longer viewing time over water features and urban landscape, making it the better overall choice for this route.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side offers views of the Sea of Marmara and the Asian coastline as the aircraft climbs northeastward from Istanbul. You'll see the Bosphorus strait and surrounding urban sprawl of Istanbul's eastern districts. Notable sights include: Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus Strait, Asian side of Istanbul, Prince's Islands (small islands visible in the sea).

When landing at Seoul Ab (SSN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side provides excellent views during descent into Incheon/Seoul. You'll see the Han River estuary, Incheon's reclaimed land areas, and the Korean peninsula's western coastline. The approach typically brings the aircraft over water before turning inland. Notable sights include: Han River estuary, Incheon International Airport reclaimed land, Yellow Sea coastline, Seoul metropolitan area sprawl.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Seoul Ab (SSN) takes Approximately 10.5 to 11.5 hours.

The flight path crosses the Black Sea (visible from either side depending on exact routing), then traverses the Caucasus Mountains region, the Caspian Sea, the Central Asian steppes (Kazakhstan), and finally enters Chinese airspace over the Gobi Desert before turning northeast toward Korea. The Caucasus range and Caspian Sea are the most visually distinctive midpoint features, typically visible 4-5 hours into the flight.