Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Milano. The right side wins overall due to the spectacular LAX departure views of the Santa Monica coastline and LA basin. The landing views at Malpensa are more modest on both sides — the Po Valley is flat and agricultural — so the dramatic California departure tips the balance to the right side for the full journey.

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 north. Right side gives you the Santa Monica Bay coastline, then the Santa Monica Mountains, and eventually the San Fernando Valley sprawl as you climb out and bank northeast. Left side faces open ocean for most of the initial climb. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, Santa Monica Mountains ridge, San Fernando Valley urban grid, Griffith Park and downtown LA skyline in the distance.

When landing at Malpensa (MXP), sit on the Left side for the best views. Malpensa typically lands on runways oriented roughly east-west (runway 35L/35R or 17/17R approaches vary, but the standard ILS approach from the south or southeast puts the aircraft tracking northward). On approach from the southeast, the left side faces the Po Valley flatlands and the southern Alps foothills, while the right side looks toward open farmland. Left also captures Lake Maggiore and the Alps as you descend. Notable sights include: Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore), southern Alps foothills, Po Valley agricultural patchwork, Ticino River valley.

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

The great circle route from LAX to MXP tracks northeast over the continental US, crossing the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, then over the North Atlantic near Greenland and Iceland, before descending over the UK and central Europe. Notable features include the Rocky Mountain ranges visible in early cruise, the Greenland ice sheet and iceberg-dotted Labrador Sea at cruise altitude, the British Isles coastline, and the Rhine Valley and Swiss Alps on the final European descent.