Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Munich. While the left side wins at takeoff with the Manhattan skyline, the right side delivers the Alpine approach into Munich which is one of the most dramatic arrival views in European aviation. Over the Atlantic the views are equivalent, but right side passengers also get better angles on the Irish and English coastlines during the transatlantic crossing.

During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK's primary departure runway 31L sends aircraft on a northwest heading over Jamaica Bay and then across Brooklyn and Manhattan. Left side passengers get a direct view of Lower Manhattan's skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and the Hudson River as the plane 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 wetlands directly below.

When landing at Munich (MUC), sit on the Right side for the best views. Munich airport sits north of the city, and aircraft typically approach from the northeast on runway 26L/26R, flying westbound. Right side passengers look south and get a clear view of the Bavarian Alps — the Zugspitze and the main Alpine chain — stretched across the horizon, with the flat Bavarian plain and Munich's city center visible in the foreground below. Notable sights include: Bavarian Alps including the Zugspitze on the southern horizon, Munich city center with the Frauenkirche twin towers, Isar River winding through the city, Ammersee and Starnberger See lakes southwest of Munich.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Munich (MUC) takes Approximately 8 to 8.5 hours.

The flight tracks northeast from JFK over Long Island Sound, then across the North Atlantic via the North Atlantic Tracks, passing south of Newfoundland and over the southern tip of Greenland or Iceland depending on the jet stream routing. The Irish coast near Shannon appears after roughly 6 hours, followed by Wales and southern England, then the Rhine Valley in Germany before descending into Bavaria. The Alps become visible on the southern horizon during the final 100 miles of descent.