About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Charles De Gaulle (CDG)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Paris. The right side wins overall because the LAX departure delivers a genuinely spectacular and varied show — coastline, mountains, and the entire LA basin — whereas the CDG arrival left-side view, while good, is relatively brief and often obscured by cloud cover over northern France. The right side also tracks the Canadian Rockies during the polar route climb, offering distant mountain views over Alberta.
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 departures heading west over the Pacific typically use runways 24L/24R, with aircraft banking right (north) to pick up the polar route. The right side gets the Santa Monica Bay coastline, then the Santa Monica Mountains and the sprawl of the San Fernando Valley as the aircraft turns northeast. Left side faces open ocean during the initial climb. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, Santa Monica Mountains (including Malibu ridge), San Fernando Valley grid, Griffith Park and downtown LA skyline to the east.
What can I see when landing at Charles De Gaulle in Paris?
When landing at Charles De Gaulle (CDG), sit on the Left side for the best views. CDG arrivals from the west typically use runways 26L/26R or 27L/27R, approaching from the northwest over the Île-de-France. The left side of the aircraft faces south toward Paris, giving a clear view of the Seine river bends, the Eiffel Tower area, and the dense Haussmann boulevard grid of central Paris. The right side looks north over flat agricultural Picardy with little of interest. Notable sights include: Seine river meanders through Paris, Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars district, La Défense tower cluster to the west of the city, Bois de Boulogne forest.
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Paris?
The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Charles De Gaulle (CDG) takes Approximately 10 to 11 hours.
What does the Los Angeles to Paris flight path pass over?
The great circle polar route tracks northeast over the Sierra Nevada and then the Canadian Rockies (visible as a distant snowy spine on the right side), crosses Hudson Bay, then Labrador and the Labrador Sea, passes south of Greenland's ice sheet visible on the horizon, crosses the North Atlantic, and descends over the English Channel and southeastern England before entering French airspace over Normandy and the Île-de-France.