About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Incheon International (ICN)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Seoul. Left side wins both ends of the flight. At takeoff you get the full New York Harbor and Manhattan panorama, and at landing you get the Han River estuary and the approach over the Korean coastal geography rather than open Yellow Sea water. The polar routing over Canada and the North Pacific means neither side has a dramatic edge mid-flight, but the bookend views favor left throughout.
What can I see during takeoff from John F Kennedy International in New York?
During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK departures heading east or northeast on runway 31L/31R put Manhattan and the entire New York Harbor on the left side. You get a clear view of the skyline, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and Brooklyn below before climbing out over Long Island Sound. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Jamaica Bay, Long Island Sound.
What can I see when landing at Incheon International in Seoul?
When landing at Incheon International (ICN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Incheon approaches from the west or northwest typically put the Yellow Sea on the right and the Korean mainland to the left. Left-side seats get views of the Han River estuary, the western outskirts of Seoul, and Ganghwa Island as you descend over the tidal flats toward the runway. Notable sights include: Han River estuary, Ganghwa Island, Incheon city waterfront, tidal mudflats of Gyeonggi Bay.
How long is the flight from New York to Seoul?
The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Incheon International (ICN) takes Approximately 14 to 15 hours.
What does the New York to Seoul flight path pass over?
The great circle route tracks northeast over southern Canada and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, then across the Labrador Sea and southern tip of Greenland, over the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island chain, down across the North Pacific, and finally over the Sea of Japan before landfall on the Korean Peninsula. Notable features include the Canadian Shield's lake-dotted boreal forest, the Greenland ice sheet edge if routing takes you close, the volcanic Aleutian Islands visible as a chain of dark peaks emerging from the North Pacific, and the Sea of Japan coastline of Japan's Honshu island on the final hours of descent.