Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai. The right side wins overall. The takeoff view from the right is significantly more dramatic — the Santa Monica Bay coastline, the mountain ridgeline, and the LA Basin panorama are hard to beat. The landing advantage on the left is real but more subtle. For the long transoceanic cruise, neither side has a meaningful advantage over the open North Pacific, so the takeoff experience tips the balance.

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, meaning the right side faces north toward Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the Hollywood Hills. You get a clear look back at the LA Basin as the aircraft banks right toward the Pacific before turning northwest. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, Santa Monica Mountains ridge, downtown LA skyline to the northeast, Palos Verdes Peninsula.

When landing at Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. PVG approaches from the east over the East China Sea, typically landing westbound on runways 34L/34R or 16L/16R. The left side gives you the view south toward the Yangtze River mouth and the sprawling Pudong development, with the distinctive Shanghai skyline visible in the distance as you descend. Notable sights include: Yangtze River mouth (wide brown estuary), Pudong new district grid, Huangpu River snaking through central Shanghai, Chongming Island.

The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) takes Approximately 12 to 13 hours westbound.

The great circle route arcs far north over the North Pacific, passing south of the Aleutian Islands chain (Alaska), crossing the Kamchatka Peninsula or its southern waters, then descending over the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea before reaching the Yangtze Delta. The Aleutians may be faintly visible as dark volcanic islands on the horizon in clear conditions. The Kamchatka Peninsula shows snow-capped volcanic peaks if routing passes close enough. The Yellow Sea is notably shallow and turbid, visibly brownish compared to the deeper Pacific. Most of the flight is open ocean with no landmarks.