Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from New York to Seattle. Left side wins both the departure and arrival. The Manhattan skyline on departure and Mount Rainier on approach are two of the most visually striking aerial views in the continental US, and both are on the left. During the cruise portion over the northern Rockies and Cascades, the left side also tends to face slightly more southward toward the higher peaks of the Rockies in Montana and Idaho.

During takeoff from La Guardia (LGA), sit on the Left side for the best views. LGA typically departs westbound on runway 13/31 or uses runway 04/22. On the standard westbound departure climbing out over Queens and the Bronx, the left side gives you Manhattan's skyline directly to the south, with the Hudson River and New Jersey beyond. The right side faces northeast toward Long Island Sound with less dramatic scenery. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Newark and its bay complex.

When landing at Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. SEA-TAC primarily lands on runways 16L/16R heading south, meaning the approach comes from the north over the Seattle metro area. The left side faces east toward Mount Rainier, which dominates the horizon as a massive snow-capped volcano, and the Cascade Range. The right side faces west toward Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula, which is also scenic but Rainier is the standout feature. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier, Cascade Range, Lake Washington, Elliott Bay and Seattle downtown.

The flight from La Guardia (LGA) to Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The flight path typically tracks northwest over Pennsylvania and the Great Lakes region, then across the northern Great Plains of Minnesota and North Dakota, followed by the dramatic Rocky Mountain ranges of Montana including the Glacier National Park area, then the Bitterroot Range and Cascades of Washington state before descent into Seattle. The Missouri River and its tributaries are visible crossing the plains, and the Continental Divide crossing in Montana offers rugged high-altitude terrain on both sides.