Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Porto. Right side wins both takeoff and landing. During the cruise over France and northern Spain, the right side also faces generally south and east, giving better views of the Pyrenees as you cross into Iberia and the Spanish meseta plateau. Left side is mostly open Atlantic for much of the route.

During takeoff from Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Right side for the best views. Gatwick's runway 26L departure heads westward, and the right side gives you a clear view south over the Surrey Hills and the South Downs as you climb out. You'll see the patchwork of the Weald countryside and can often spot the English Channel coastline near Brighton as you gain altitude. Notable sights include: Surrey Hills AONB, South Downs ridge, Brighton coastline and English Channel, Crawley town below.

When landing at Porto (OPO), sit on the Right side for the best views. Porto's runway 35 arrival (from the south, landing northward) puts the right side facing east over the Douro River valley and the city of Porto itself. You get a direct view of the Douro winding through the city, the historic Ribeira waterfront, and the Dom Luís I Bridge as you descend over the coast. Notable sights include: Douro River and its valley, Porto city centre and Ribeira district, Dom Luís I Bridge, Atlantic coastline at Foz do Douro.

The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to Porto (OPO) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The route tracks southwest over the English Channel, crosses Brittany and the Loire Valley in France, then the Bay of Biscay coastline near Bordeaux. Over Spain it crosses the Cantabrian Mountains and the flat Castilian meseta before descending toward the Atlantic coast of Portugal and the Douro estuary at Porto.