The left side combines a dramatic desert departure past Lake Mead and Hoover Dam with a classic Manhattan skyline view on arrival, giving it far more visual variety and iconic scenery than the right side's brief Strip glimpse and largely flat, ocean-adjacent approach.
Flight Path
The route crosses the southern Rockies near the Colorado-Utah border, then flattens out over the Great Plains of Kansas and Missouri before the terrain rises again slightly through the Appalachian foothills of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Great circle distance and headings ›
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Phase by phase
Takeoff from LAS
LEFTDeparting LAS to the south then turning east, the left side gets a sustained view of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam as the aircraft climbs, while the brief glimpse of the Strip on the right fades quickly into flat desert with little else to see.
Landing at JFK
LEFTOn the westward approach into JFK, the aircraft typically swings south over Brooklyn and Jamaica Bay before lining up for runway 22L, putting the Manhattan skyline and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on the left side of the cabin.
Landmarks on this routeAll landmarks →
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About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Mc Carran International (LAS) to John F Kennedy International (JFK)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Las Vegas to New York. The left side combines a dramatic desert departure past Lake Mead and Hoover Dam with a classic Manhattan skyline view on arrival, giving it far more visual variety and iconic scenery than the right side's brief Strip glimpse and largely flat, ocean-adjacent approach.
What can I see during takeoff from Mc Carran International in Las Vegas?
During takeoff from Mc Carran International (LAS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing LAS to the south then turning east, the left side gets a sustained view of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam as the aircraft climbs, while the brief glimpse of the Strip on the right fades quickly into flat desert with little else to see. Notable sights include: Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Colorado River canyon, McCullough Range.
What can I see when landing at John F Kennedy International in New York?
When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. On the westward approach into JFK, the aircraft typically swings south over Brooklyn and Jamaica Bay before lining up for runway 22L, putting the Manhattan skyline and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on the left side of the cabin. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Jamaica Bay, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Brooklyn waterfront.
How long is the flight from Las Vegas to New York?
The flight from Mc Carran International (LAS) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes 4h 47m.
What does the Las Vegas to New York flight path pass over?
The route crosses the southern Rockies near the Colorado-Utah border, then flattens out over the Great Plains of Kansas and Missouri before the terrain rises again slightly through the Appalachian foothills of Ohio and Pennsylvania.