Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The left side misses the best of the LAX departure but wins decisively on landing with the Lake Pontchartrain and Mississippi River crescent views, which are among the most dramatic urban water approaches in the US. During the cruise, the left side also tracks closer to the Gulf Coast wetlands of Louisiana on descent.

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 east. The right side gets the Santa Monica Bay coastline and then faces inland toward the San Gabriel Mountains as the aircraft banks. Left side faces open ocean during the turn. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, San Gabriel Mountains, downtown Los Angeles skyline, Palos Verdes Peninsula.

When landing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), sit on the Left side for the best views. MSY approaches from the east on runway 20 or from the north on runway 11, and the left side picks up Lake Pontchartrain's massive expanse and the distinctive crescent bend of the Mississippi River with the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans clearly visible below. Notable sights include: Lake Pontchartrain, Mississippi River crescent bend, downtown New Orleans and French Quarter, Lake Borgne.

The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The route crosses the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the Rio Grande valley near El Paso, the Chihuahuan Desert scrublands of west Texas, then the Hill Country and Edwards Plateau of central Texas, before descending over the vast coastal prairies and bayous of Louisiana. The Mississippi River delta wetlands become visible on descent, a sprawling mosaic of channels, marsh grass, and open water.