Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Addis Ababa. The left side wins overall. While the right side is better for the London departure, the left side delivers the most dramatic single moment of the flight — the Entoto Hills and Addis Ababa on approach — and also captures the Nile Valley and Sudan's landscape during the cruise. Switching to a left seat after takeoff, or simply choosing left if you can only pick one, gives you the better overall experience.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Heathrow typically departs eastbound on runways 09L/09R, so a right-side seat faces south over central London. You get a clear view of the Thames snaking through the city, the dense urban grid of south London, and on clear days the North Downs beyond. Left side faces north toward Slough and the M25 corridor, which is far less interesting. Notable sights include: River Thames and its bends through central London, Wembley Stadium arch (visible to the north-right briefly), Windsor Castle and Windsor Great Park to the southwest during initial climb, the M25 orbital motorway cutting across the landscape.

When landing at Bole International (ADD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Bole International typically uses runway 07 for arrivals from the west, meaning the aircraft approaches heading roughly eastward. A left seat faces north, giving a clear view of the Entoto Hills rising steeply above the northern edge of Addis Ababa, which is the most dramatic visual feature on approach. The right side faces south over the flatter outskirts of the city. Notable sights include: Entoto Hills and eucalyptus forests on the northern escarpment above Addis Ababa, the dense urban core of Addis Ababa spreading across the plateau, the Akaki River valley to the south visible from the right side, the high plateau terrain of the Ethiopian Highlands surrounding the city.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Bole International (ADD) takes Approximately 7 to 8 hours.

The route tracks southeast over France and the Alps (briefly visible on the left), then across the Mediterranean near Sicily, over Egypt and the Nile Delta, down the Nile Valley with the river clearly visible as a green ribbon through the Sahara, across Sudan's flat semi-arid plains, and finally over the Ethiopian Highlands as the terrain rises dramatically toward Addis Ababa. The Nile is the standout feature mid-flight, visible for a long stretch on the left side.