Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Hong Kong. While the right side wins at Heathrow departure, the left side delivers the more dramatic payoff overall. During the flight, the left side faces south over Central Asia, giving views of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau if routing via that corridor, and the spectacular Hong Kong harbour approach on landing is one of the great descents in commercial aviation.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Heathrow's dominant departure runway is 27L/27R, heading west. On a westward departure, the right side (north) gives you a clear view back over central London as the aircraft banks. You'll see the Thames snaking eastward through the city, with the dense urban grid of west London spread out below. Notable sights include: River Thames through central London, Windsor Castle and Windsor Great Park to the southwest, Wembley Stadium arch visible to the north, M25 orbital motorway ring.

When landing at Hong Kong International (HKG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Hong Kong International sits on Lantau Island and aircraft typically approach from the west or southwest on runway 07L/07R, heading east. The left side (north) gives you the full panorama of Victoria Harbour, the Kowloon Peninsula, and Hong Kong Island's dramatic skyline as you descend over the Pearl River Delta. Notable sights include: Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island skyline, Kowloon Peninsula urban grid, Lantau Island peaks (Lantau Peak at 3,064 ft), Pearl River Delta estuary.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Hong Kong International (HKG) takes Approximately 11.5 to 13 hours depending on routing and winds.

The route typically tracks east across Europe over Germany and Poland, then across Ukraine or southern Russia, the Caspian Sea, Central Asian steppes of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges, the Tibetan Plateau, then descending south through southern China over Guangdong province and the Pearl River Delta into Hong Kong. The Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau are the most dramatic midpoint feature, visible as an enormous white and brown elevated mass from cruising altitude.