While the takeoff favors the left side for the Manhattan view, the right side gains more across the full flight: the route's near-polar great circle path likely brings Greenland's ice sheet and the Himalayan foothills into view on that side during cruise, and the Changi approach over the Singapore Strait's crowded shipping lanes and skyline is more visually rewarding than the ocean-facing left side.
Flight Path
Baffin Island and Davis Strait, Greenland's ice sheet, the Arctic Ocean near the pole, the Ural Mountains and Siberian river basins, the Himalayan foothills, and the Bay of Bengal approaching Southeast Asia
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Phase by phase
Takeoff from JFK
LEFTJFK departures heading toward the polar track typically climb out over Jamaica Bay and turn north, putting Manhattan's skyline off the left side of the aircraft as it banks away from the city. The right side only sees the flat expanse of Long Island and open Atlantic.
Landing at SIN
RIGHTArriving from the west across the Malacca Strait, the final approach into Changi sweeps down over the Singapore Strait, giving right-side passengers a view of the dense anchorage of cargo ships and the city's skyline before touchdown. The left side mainly faces open water and Indonesia's Riau islands with fewer defined landmarks.
Landmarks on this routeAll landmarks →
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About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Singapore Changi (SIN)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Singapore. While the takeoff favors the left side for the Manhattan view, the right side gains more across the full flight: the route's near-polar great circle path likely brings Greenland's ice sheet and the Himalayan foothills into view on that side during cruise, and the Changi approach over the Singapore Strait's crowded shipping lanes and skyline is more visually rewarding than the ocean-facing left side.
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 toward the polar track typically climb out over Jamaica Bay and turn north, putting Manhattan's skyline off the left side of the aircraft as it banks away from the city. The right side only sees the flat expanse of Long Island and open Atlantic. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline (One World Trade Center, Empire State Building), Jamaica Bay, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Long Island Sound.
What can I see when landing at Singapore Changi in Singapore?
When landing at Singapore Changi (SIN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Arriving from the west across the Malacca Strait, the final approach into Changi sweeps down over the Singapore Strait, giving right-side passengers a view of the dense anchorage of cargo ships and the city's skyline before touchdown. The left side mainly faces open water and Indonesia's Riau islands with fewer defined landmarks. Notable sights include: Singapore Strait shipping lanes with anchored container ships, Sentosa Island, Keppel Port cranes, Marina Bay skyline.
How long is the flight from New York to Singapore?
The flight from John F Kennedy International (JFK) to Singapore Changi (SIN) takes 18h 40m.
What does the New York to Singapore flight path pass over?
Baffin Island and Davis Strait, Greenland's ice sheet, the Arctic Ocean near the pole, the Ural Mountains and Siberian river basins, the Himalayan foothills, and the Bay of Bengal approaching Southeast Asia