Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The right side wins overall. The LAX departure delivers the most visually dramatic moment of the flight with the LA coastline and basin panorama. During the long overwater and South American interior segments both sides are similar, but the right side also picks up the Brazilian coast and Atlantic Ocean as you cross into South America from the southeast, before the landing approach where left edges ahead. The departure spectacle tips the balance to right.

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 south. Right side gives you the Santa Monica Bay coastline, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and a clear look back at the LA basin and downtown skyline as you bank south. Left side faces open Pacific with little to see. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay, Palos Verdes Peninsula, downtown Los Angeles skyline to the northeast, Long Beach Harbor.

When landing at Guarulhos (GRU), sit on the Left side for the best views. GRU approaches from the northeast on runways 09R/09L or from the south on 27L/27R depending on winds. On the common eastward approach, the left side faces south toward the Serra da Cantareira hills and the dense urban fabric of greater São Paulo, including the visible skyline of the city center. Right side faces north over less distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: São Paulo city center skyline, Serra da Cantareira hills, Tietê River valley, Guarulhos urban sprawl.

The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Guarulhos (GRU) takes Approximately 12 to 13 hours.

The route tracks southeast over the Pacific Ocean, crossing Central America and the Caribbean coast of Colombia or Venezuela depending on routing. It then crosses the Amazon Basin, where the vast river system and unbroken rainforest canopy are visible below on clear days. The Andes are visible on the western horizon early in the South American segment. The cerrado savanna of central Brazil transitions to the denser Atlantic Forest as the flight descends toward São Paulo.