Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to New York. Left side wins both ends of the flight. At takeoff it captures the Surrey countryside and the London skyline during the northward bank. On arrival it delivers Jamaica Bay, the Rockaway beaches, and the distant Manhattan skyline on approach to JFK. The right side offers the English Channel coast at departure and the Atlantic Ocean for most of the crossing — far less interesting.

During takeoff from Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Gatwick's runway 26L departure heads westward before turning northwest, putting the left side facing south over the Surrey Hills and Sussex Weald. As the aircraft banks right to head northwest, the left side briefly captures central London's skyline to the northeast before the turn completes. Departing 08R in the opposite direction, the left side faces north directly over the London suburbs toward the city. Notable sights include: Surrey Hills AONB and North Downs ridge, central London skyline (Shard, Canary Wharf towers) visible to the north-northeast, Gatwick's distinctive single-runway layout below during initial climb, the M25 motorway arc cutting across the Weald.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK approaches are typically from the east on runway 22L/22R, meaning the aircraft tracks southwest over Long Island before turning final. The left side faces southeast over Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula, while also capturing the Manhattan skyline to the northwest as the aircraft descends. This gives a clear view of the bay, the barrier beaches, and the city skyline in the distance. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline visible to the northwest during approach, Jamaica Bay's distinctive shallow tidal basin directly below, Rockaway Peninsula barrier beach strip, Brooklyn's dense urban grid spreading to the left.

The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours westbound.

The flight tracks northwest over southern England, crossing the tip of Cornwall or Devon coast, then out over the North Atlantic. The route typically passes south of Iceland and Greenland's southern tip, where the Greenland ice sheet may be visible on clear days as a vast white expanse on the horizon. The aircraft then crosses Newfoundland and Nova Scotia — the Canadian Maritime coastline with its deeply indented bays and boreal forest is visible in good weather. The final descent crosses Long Island Sound or the New England coast depending on routing.