Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Sydney. The right side wins overall due to the spectacular LAX departure views over Santa Monica Bay and Catalina Island. The transpacific crossing offers little to see from either side at cruise altitude over open ocean, and the Bankstown arrival views, while interesting, are modest compared to the departure scenery.

During takeoff from Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX typically departs westward over the Pacific on runways 24L/24R, then turns south toward the flight path. Right side gives you the Santa Monica Bay coastline, Palos Verdes Peninsula, and Catalina Island as the aircraft banks left over the ocean. Left side faces inland toward the LA Basin smog and urban sprawl. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Catalina Island (on clear days), Long Beach Harbor.

When landing at Sydney Bankstown (BWU), sit on the Left side for the best views. Bankstown Airport sits southwest of Sydney CBD. Aircraft typically approach from the west or southwest on runway 11, tracking over suburban western Sydney. The left side gives views of the Blue Mountains escarpment to the west and the Nepean River valley as you descend, while the right side faces south toward flat suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Blue Mountains escarpment, Nepean River, Parramatta River corridor, Western Sydney suburban grid.

The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Sydney Bankstown (BWU) takes Approximately 14 to 15 hours nonstop, though this route typically involves a connection via Sydney Kingsford Smith as BWU does not receive international flights.

The great circle route tracks southwest from LAX over the central Pacific Ocean, passing north of Hawaii, then arcing down through the tropical Pacific toward Fiji and New Caledonia before approaching eastern Australia. The route crosses the International Date Line roughly 5 to 6 hours into the flight. At cruise altitude the ocean is featureless for the vast majority of the crossing, with occasional low cloud systems visible below. The French Polynesian island chains including the Tuamotu Archipelago may be visible as tiny atolls far below if the route passes near them. The Australian coastline near Byron Bay or the Gold Coast hinterland may be the first land visible on approach.