New York to Rome flight path: JFK to FCO

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Rome. The left side offers the only real visual highlights of the flight — the Manhattan skyline during departure and the Italian countryside and Tiber valley during arrival — while the right side is dominated by featureless coastal plain and open ocean for most of the journey.

During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing JFK toward the northeast, the initial climb typically banks over Long Island Sound, putting the Manhattan skyline and the East River clearly visible on the left side of the aircraft. The right side mostly shows the flatter South Shore of Long Island and open water with little variation. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Long Island Sound, East River, Throgs Neck/Whitestone Bridges.

When landing at Fiumicino (FCO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Arrivals into FCO from the north often descend over the Lazio countryside and the Apennine foothills before turning onto final approach, giving left-side passengers a view of rolling hills and, closer in, glimpses of Rome's outskirts and the Tiber valley. The right side during this turn typically faces open farmland with less visual interest. Notable sights include: Apennine foothills, Tiber River valley, Lazio countryside, outskirts of Rome.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Fiumicino (FCO) takes 8h 15m.

Mid-Atlantic open ocean, southern tip of Newfoundland, and the southwestern coast of Ireland are the main geographic references along the great-circle route, though most of the crossing is over featureless open water.