Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to London. The flight is extremely short — under 20 minutes — so the takeoff view dominates the experience. The right side at Heathrow gives you the most visually interesting content: the Thames and London's urban sprawl during the climb, which is the highlight of this hop.

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 as the aircraft climbs. You get a clear view of the Thames snaking through the city, with recognisable landmarks spread across the south bank and beyond. Notable sights include: River Thames bends through central London, Wembley Stadium arch to the north (briefly), Windsor Castle and Great Park to the west if departing westbound, Canary Wharf cluster on the eastern horizon.

When landing at Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Gatwick's main runway 26L means the aircraft approaches from the east heading west, so the left side faces south over the Surrey and Sussex countryside. You get views over the High Weald and the urban edge of Crawley just before touchdown. Notable sights include: Crawley town centre directly below on final approach, M23 motorway corridor, High Weald wooded ridgeline to the south, Gatwick's distinctive single-runway layout visible just before touchdown.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Gatwick (LGW) takes 15-20 minutes (this route is rarely operated as a scheduled service; it is more commonly a positioning or private flight).

The flight path crosses the M25 orbital motorway shortly after departure, then tracks southeast over the Surrey commuter belt — Epsom, Reigate — with the North Downs visible as a low chalk escarpment before descending into the Crawley basin for Gatwick. No significant natural features; the landscape is entirely suburban and agricultural English lowland.