Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Porto Santo. The left side wins overall because the Porto Santo arrival is the visual highlight of the trip — the island's volcanic profile, the famous beach, and the surrounding Atlantic are all best framed from the left. The takeoff from Gatwick is relatively modest scenically, so the landing experience tips the balance.

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 Weald as you climb out. You'll also catch the sprawl of Crawley below and, on a clear day, the South Downs ridge to the south. Notable sights include: Crawley town centre directly below, Surrey Hills AONB to the north, South Downs ridge to the south, Horsham town to the southwest.

When landing at Porto Santo (PXO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Porto Santo's runway 36 (northerly landing) puts the left side facing west toward the open Atlantic, but the island itself and its dramatic volcanic peaks are best seen from the left as you approach from the south. The left side gives you the full profile of the island's rugged northern hills and the long sandy beach along the southern coast. Notable sights include: Pico do Facho (517m, the island's highest point) to the north, the 9km sandy beach along the southern coast, the small islets of Ilhéu de Baixo and Ilhéu das Cenouras off the southern tip, Porto Santo town and harbour.

The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to Porto Santo (PXO) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The route tracks southwest over the English Channel, crosses the Brittany coast of northwest France, then heads out over the Bay of Biscay. It passes well west of the Iberian Peninsula, crossing the Portuguese coast near Lisbon or further south, then continues over open Atlantic to Porto Santo. The Iberian Peninsula's interior plateau and the Serra da Estrela mountains may be distantly visible to the left on clear days if the routing passes close enough to the coast.