Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from St. Petersburg to Beijing. While takeoff offers Baltic scenery, the landing approach into Beijing provides more sustained and dramatic views. The Yanshan Mountains and the transition from rural North China Plain to Beijing's urban landscape offer greater visual variety and geographic interest than the departure phase.

During takeoff from Pulkovo (LED), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats offer views of the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic coastline as the aircraft climbs southwestward from Pulkovo. The water body and coastal geography provide immediate visual interest during the initial climb phase. Notable sights include: Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea coastline, Lake Ladoga (visible in distance to the east during climb), St. Petersburg urban sprawl.

When landing at Capital (PEK), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats provide views of the North China Plain's agricultural landscape and the approach into Beijing from the northwest. As the aircraft descends toward Capital Airport, left-side passengers see the Yanshan Mountains and the urban sprawl of Beijing's northwestern districts. Notable sights include: Yanshan Mountains, North China Plain agricultural fields, Beijing urban districts, Ming Tombs area (northwest of city).

The flight from Pulkovo (LED) to Capital (PEK) takes Approximately 7.5 to 8.5 hours.

The flight path crosses the Ural Mountains (visible around 2-3 hours into flight), then traverses the West Siberian Plain. Over Kazakhstan, the Altai Mountains may be visible to the south depending on exact routing. The flight then crosses into Mongolia, where the Khangai Mountains and Gobi Desert landscape dominate. The final approach crosses the Inner Mongolian plateau before descending into the North China Plain near Beijing. The Caspian Sea region and Kazakhstan's steppe provide extended periods of relatively featureless terrain in the middle portion of the flight.