Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Shanghai. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. The Manhattan departure view is one of the most iconic urban aerial perspectives in the world, and the Shanghai approach on the left gives you the Yangtze Delta and the city skyline. Over the Pacific the views are largely ocean regardless of side, so the departure and arrival experiences determine the winner.

During takeoff from John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK departures heading northeast on runway 31L/31R put Manhattan directly to the left. You get a clear view of the full Manhattan skyline, the East River crossings, and the harbor as the aircraft climbs and banks. The right side faces Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, East River bridges (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg), Upper New York Bay.

When landing at Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. PVG arrivals typically approach from the east over the East China Sea on runway 34L/34R or 16L/16R. A left-side seat on approach from the east gives views over the Yangtze River mouth, the sprawling Pudong district, and the dense Shanghai urban core. The right side faces open water or flat agricultural land. Notable sights include: Yangtze River mouth (Chongming Island visible), Huangpu River winding through Shanghai, Pudong skyline including Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, vast flat Yangtze Delta farmland.

The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) takes Approximately 14 to 15 hours nonstop.

The great circle route from JFK to PVG tracks northeast over New England and Nova Scotia, crosses the North Atlantic briefly near Newfoundland, then arcs over southern Greenland or the Labrador Sea, crosses northern Canada including the Hudson Bay region, transits Alaska or the Aleutian Islands chain, then descends across the North Pacific and the Yellow Sea before reaching Shanghai. Notable features include the Canadian Rockies if the routing dips south enough, the Aleutian Islands volcanic chain visible as dark peaks emerging from the Pacific, and the Korean Peninsula coastline on descent.