About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Sheremetyevo (SVO)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Los Angeles to Moscow. Right side wins both the departure over the Los Angeles Basin and the arrival into Moscow. During the polar routing over Canada and Greenland, right side also faces south giving occasional views of the Greenland ice sheet interior, while left faces the Arctic Ocean. Right is the clear choice for the full journey.
What can I see during takeoff from Los Angeles International in Los Angeles?
During takeoff from Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX departures heading west over the ocean typically use runways 24L/24R, then aircraft turn northbound. A right-side seat gives you the sweep back over the Santa Monica Bay coastline, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and then the San Gabriel Mountains as the aircraft banks northeast. Left side faces open Pacific with little to see. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay coastline, Palos Verdes Peninsula, San Gabriel Mountains, downtown Los Angeles grid.
What can I see when landing at Sheremetyevo in Moscow?
When landing at Sheremetyevo (SVO), sit on the Right side for the best views. Sheremetyevo approaches from the northwest on runway 06/24. On a right-side seat during final approach heading southeast, you get a clear view of the Moscow city center — the Kremlin, the Moscow River bends, and the dense ring-road urban fabric. Left side faces the forested northwestern suburbs with less visual interest. Notable sights include: Moscow River bends, Kremlin and city center, Khimki Reservoir, forested Moscow Oblast taiga.
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Moscow?
The flight from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Sheremetyevo (SVO) takes Approximately 12 to 13 hours.
What does the Los Angeles to Moscow flight path pass over?
The route tracks north over the Sierra Nevada and Cascades, then crosses British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, arcs over the Yukon and into the Arctic, crosses the southern tip of Greenland's ice sheet, then transits Scandinavia over Norway and Finland before descending into Moscow. Notable features include the Canadian Rockies, the Greenland ice cap edge near Kangerlussuaq, the Norwegian fjord coastline, and the vast boreal taiga of Finland and northwestern Russia.