Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Heraklion. The left side wins overall because the Heraklion landing view is the highlight of the flight — the Aegean coastline, the city, and the Cretan mountains on approach are spectacular and unique. During the cruise, the left side also tracks closer to the Alps over France and the Adriatic coastline, offering more geographic interest than the right side across the flight's middle portion.

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 during the climb-out turn. You get a clear view of the Thames snaking through the city, with recognizable landmarks spread across the south bank and beyond. Left side faces north toward the suburbs with far less to see. Notable sights include: River Thames through central London, Windsor Castle (westbound departures), the City of London skyline including the Shard, Richmond Park.

When landing at Nikos Kazantzakis (HER), sit on the Left side for the best views. Heraklion's runway 27 (westbound landing approach) is the most common arrival direction, with aircraft approaching from the east over the sea. A left-side seat gives you the north coast of Crete, the city of Heraklion itself, and the Aegean Sea on approach. Right side faces south toward the Ida mountain range interior but you lose the coastal city view. Notable sights include: Heraklion city and harbour, Mount Ida (Psiloritis) to the south, Gulf of Heraklion, north Cretan coastline.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Nikos Kazantzakis (HER) takes Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes.

The flight path typically crosses the English Channel near Calais, then tracks southeast over France passing near Lyon, crosses the Alps or pre-Alpine ranges over northern Italy, transits the Adriatic Sea between Italy and the Balkans, passes over or near the Greek mainland including the Peloponnese, then descends over the Aegean toward Crete. The Alps are the most dramatic midpoint feature, visible as a broad white-capped mountain mass. The Adriatic is a long narrow sea crossing clearly visible from both sides. The Greek islands of the Cyclades may be visible in the distance on the final descent.