Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Catania. The Mount Etna approach on the left at landing is one of the most dramatic arrival views in European aviation. While the right side wins at takeoff, the left side also picks up the Alps crossing mid-flight and the Etna finale makes it the clear overall winner for the full journey.

During takeoff from Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Right side for the best views. Gatwick's main runway 08R/26L means departures heading east give the right side views over the Surrey Hills and the North Downs. Climbing out eastward, the right side looks south over the Weald toward the South Downs, while the left side faces north toward Greater London sprawl. Notable sights include: Surrey Hills AONB, the Weald farmland patchwork, Ashdown Forest, the South Downs ridge on the southern horizon.

When landing at Catania Fontanarossa (CTA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Catania's runway 08/26 means arrivals typically come in from the west heading east, putting Mount Etna directly on the left (north) side as you descend. Etna at 10,900 feet is unmissable and dominates the left window on final approach, with the Ionian Sea visible ahead and to the right. Notable sights include: Mount Etna (summit and lava fields), the Ionian Sea coastline, Catania city waterfront, the Simeto River plain.

The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to Catania Fontanarossa (CTA) takes Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.

The route crosses the English Channel near Dieppe, then tracks southeast over northern France and Burgundy, crosses the French Alps (Mont Blanc massif visible to the east), descends over the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, passes Corsica and Sardinia to the west, then crosses the Strait of Messina before the Etna approach into Catania