Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Mexico City. The takeoff right-side advantage over London is real but brief. The left side wins overall because the approach into Mexico City delivers one of the most spectacular volcanic panoramas in aviation — Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl are genuinely jaw-dropping from the left window, and during the transatlantic cruise the left side also faces south toward the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coastlines as the route curves over eastern Canada and the US.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Heathrow departures heading west on runway 27L/27R give the right side a clear view south over Greater London as the aircraft banks right. You get the Thames snaking through the city, Windsor Castle and its Great Park, and the urban sprawl of southwest London laid out clearly below. Notable sights include: Windsor Castle and Great Park, River Thames bends through Richmond and Twickenham, Hampton Court Palace grounds, M25 orbital motorway arc.

When landing at Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX), sit on the Left side for the best views. Mexico City's main arrival runway 05R/23L means aircraft typically approach from the northeast or southwest. On approach from the north, the left side faces west toward the dramatic Sierra de las Cruces ridge and the volcanic peaks of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl rising above the Valley of Mexico. These are among the most visually striking landmarks visible on any approach in the Americas. Notable sights include: Popocatépetl volcano (5,426m), Iztaccíhuatl volcano (5,230m), Sierra de las Cruces ridge, Lake Texcoco dry lakebed and salt flats east of the city.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The route tracks northwest over Ireland, then across the North Atlantic following a great circle arc over southern Greenland or Labrador depending on jetstream routing. It crosses eastern Canada over Quebec or Newfoundland, then descends over the northeastern United States — often passing over New England or the Great Lakes region. The Gulf of Mexico coast of Texas or Veracruz is crossed before descending into the Central Mexican Plateau. The Sierra Madre Oriental mountains are visible on descent as a rugged north-south range east of Mexico City.