Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Cairo. The left side delivers the iconic Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor on departure, which is one of the most spectacular urban aerial views in the world. The right side wins at landing for the Pyramids, but the departure spectacle and the fact that the flight tracks northeast then across the Atlantic and Mediterranean means neither side has a decisive advantage over open ocean. The New York departure view 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's primary departure runway 31L/31R sends aircraft on a northwest heading over Jamaica Bay and then across Brooklyn and Manhattan. Left side passengers get a clear view of Lower Manhattan's skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and the Hudson River as the aircraft banks northeast toward the Atlantic. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline and Central Park, Statue of Liberty in Upper New York Bay, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Jamaica Bay wildlife refuge directly below.

When landing at Cairo International (CAI), sit on the Right side for the best views. Cairo International typically uses runway 05R/23L or 05L/23R. Arrivals from the west on runway 05 approach from the southwest over the Nile Delta and the Giza Plateau. Right side passengers get a direct view of the Pyramids of Giza and the Nile River as the aircraft descends on final approach from the southwest. Notable sights include: Pyramids of Giza visible to the southwest of the city, Nile River and its delta fanning northward, dense urban sprawl of Greater Cairo, agricultural green strip of the Nile Valley contrasting with surrounding desert.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Cairo International (CAI) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

After departing New York the route crosses the North Atlantic, passing south of Newfoundland and tracking over the open ocean toward Portugal and Spain. The flight then crosses the Iberian Peninsula or southern France, transits the Mediterranean Sea passing near Sicily or Crete depending on routing, then crosses the Libyan or Egyptian desert before descending into Cairo. Notable features include the coastlines of Portugal and Spain, the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and possibly Crete visible as landmasses breaking the sea, and the stark transition from Mediterranean blue water to the Saharan sand as the aircraft crosses the North African coast.