About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Los Angeles International (LAX) to The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Atlanta. The right side wins overall because the LAX departure delivers genuinely dramatic coastal and urban scenery over the LA Basin. The mid-flight and Atlanta arrival views are broadly comparable between sides, but the takeoff experience on the right is the highlight of this route and tips the balance.
What can I see during takeoff from Los Angeles International in Los Angeles?
During takeoff from Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX typically departs westward over the ocean on runways 24L/24R, then turns east. The right side gets the sweep back over the LA Basin, Santa Monica Bay, and the Santa Monica Mountains as the aircraft banks. Left side faces open Pacific with little to see. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, downtown Los Angeles skyline to the northeast, Santa Monica Mountains ridge, Palos Verdes Peninsula.
What can I see when landing at The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International in Atlanta?
When landing at The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Atlanta's primary arrival from the west typically uses runways 26L/26R or 27L/27R, bringing aircraft in from the northwest. The left side faces south over the Atlanta metro sprawl, Stone Mountain, and the distinctive red-clay Georgia Piedmont landscape on final approach. Notable sights include: Stone Mountain granite dome east of Atlanta, downtown Atlanta skyline, Lake Allatoona to the northwest, Chattahoochee River corridor.
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta?
The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes.
What does the Los Angeles to Atlanta flight path pass over?
The flight tracks roughly along the 33rd parallel, crossing the Mojave Desert and Arizona's high desert plateau, then the Rio Grande valley near Albuquerque, the Llano Estacado of west Texas, the rolling Cross Timbers of central Texas and Oklahoma, the Mississippi River valley near Vicksburg, and the pine forests of central Alabama and Georgia before descending into Atlanta.