Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Bangkok. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. During the long overwater and overland cruise, the left side also faces south toward the Himalayas as the route crosses Central Asia, giving occasional views of high peaks on clear days. The Manhattan departure view alone makes left the clear choice.

During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK departures on runway 31L/31R head northwest, putting Manhattan directly on the left side. You get a clear view of the entire Manhattan skyline, the East River crossings, and the Hudson River as the aircraft climbs out over Queens and the Bronx. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline and Central Park, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, East River bridges (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg), Jamaica Bay.

When landing at Bangkok International (BKK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) typically uses runways 19L/19R for southward landings or 01L/01R for northward approaches. On the common southbound approach (runway 19), the aircraft tracks south and the left side faces east toward the Gulf of Thailand and the city of Bangkok to the northeast. On northbound approaches (runway 01), the left side has Bangkok's urban sprawl and the Chao Phraya River clearly visible during final approach. Notable sights include: Chao Phraya River winding through Bangkok, Bangkok urban grid and downtown high-rises, Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, flat agricultural patchwork of the Central Plains.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Bangkok International (BKK) takes Approximately 17 to 19 hours depending on routing and winds, typically operated with a fuel stop or as an ultra-long-haul depending on carrier.

The great circle route from JFK to BKK crosses the North Atlantic, passes over or near Greenland's southern tip, then tracks across northern Europe (UK, Scandinavia or central Europe depending on routing), continues over Russia and Central Asia including the Caspian Sea region, crosses northern India or the Himalayas foothills, and descends through Southeast Asia over Myanmar or Laos into Thailand. The Himalayas and Hindu Kush ranges are the most dramatic midpoint feature on clear days, visible as a massive white wall from cruising altitude.