Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Austin. The left side delivers the more dramatic and iconic moment at departure — the full New York Harbor and Manhattan panorama is one of the best urban aerial views in the world. The right side wins at landing, but the JFK departure view is the highlight of the flight and tips the balance to the left overall.

During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK departures heading southwest on runway 13L/13R put Manhattan and the full New York Harbor on the left side. You get a clear view of the skyline, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and Staten Island as the aircraft climbs out over the Atlantic briefly before turning west. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay.

When landing at Austin Bergstrom International (AUS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Austin Bergstrom's primary arrival runway 17L brings aircraft in from the north heading south, placing the Austin city skyline and the Colorado River (Lady Bird Lake) on the right side. You get a direct look at downtown Austin and the distinctive bend of the lake just before touchdown. Notable sights include: Austin downtown skyline, Lady Bird Lake, Colorado River corridor, South Congress area.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Austin Bergstrom International (AUS) takes Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes.

The flight tracks southwest over Pennsylvania and the Appalachian ridges, then crosses the Tennessee River valley, the Cumberland Plateau, and the Mississippi River near Memphis before crossing Arkansas and entering Texas. The Appalachian folded ridges are visible early in cruise, the Mississippi River is a broad unmistakable feature at mid-flight, and the flat agricultural plains of Arkansas and East Texas dominate the final third of the cruise.