Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Durban. While the landing favors the left, the takeoff scenery from the right side—featuring the dramatic Pacific coastline and Santa Monica Mountains—is more visually striking than the approach to Durban. The right side captures the most memorable portion of the journey.

During takeoff from Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats offer views of the Santa Monica Mountains and Pacific coastline as the aircraft climbs out over the ocean. The left side shows urban sprawl and inland terrain with less dramatic scenery during the initial climb. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Mountains, Pacific Ocean coastline, Santa Catalina Island (visible on clear days), Malibu coast.

When landing at Durban International (DUR), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats provide views of the Drakensberg Mountains and the inland approach to Durban. The descent path typically brings aircraft over the interior plateau before turning toward the coast, making the left side the optimal viewing position for these dramatic highlands. Notable sights include: Drakensberg Mountains, KwaZulu-Natal interior plateau, Thukela River valley, Durban Bay and harbor.

The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Durban International (DUR) takes Approximately 16-18 hours (including typical routing via Middle East or African hub).

This ultra-long-haul route typically routes over the Atlantic, passing south of the Azores and Cape Verde islands, then across central Africa (possibly visible: Sahara Desert southern edge, Niger River valley, or central African highlands depending on routing). The flight may also route via a Middle Eastern hub (Dubai, Doha, or Johannesburg connection), in which case the midpoint would feature the Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf, or East African highlands.