Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Riyadh. The right side delivers the more dramatic and varied experience overall. The London departure view is the highlight of the flight — dense urban geography, the Thames, and recognisable landmarks during climb. The right side also tracks the European coastline over France and the Alps in the distance, and later the Red Sea coastline may be glimpsed. The Riyadh arrival view on the left is compelling but the desert terrain is relatively uniform for much of the descent.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Heathrow departures heading east on runway 27L/27R (westerly wind operations reversed) or eastward on 09L/09R give right-side passengers views over central London. A right-side seat captures the Thames snaking through the city, the Canary Wharf cluster, and the City of London skyline as the aircraft climbs out eastward toward the continent. Notable sights include: River Thames bends through central London, Canary Wharf tower cluster, Windsor Castle and Great Park to the west during initial climb, M25 orbital motorway ring.

When landing at King Khaled International (RUH), sit on the Left side for the best views. Aircraft approaching Riyadh typically land on runway 33L/33R from the south, or 15L/15R from the north. On a flight from London arriving from the northwest, a northerly approach on runway 15 is common, placing the left side over the Riyadh city centre with its distinctive skyline including the Kingdom Centre tower and Al Faisaliah tower clearly visible during descent. Notable sights include: Kingdom Centre tower and Al Faisaliah tower in Riyadh CBD, Wadi Hanifah valley cutting through the plateau west of the city, the vast flat Nejd plateau desert terrain, King Fahd Road urban spine.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to King Khaled International (RUH) takes Approximately 6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours.

The route crosses southeastern England, then France, passing south of Paris. The Alps are visible to the south over northern Italy. The aircraft then crosses the Adriatic or eastern Mediterranean depending on routing, passes over Greece or Turkey, crosses into the Levant region over Syria or Jordan, and descends across the vast flat Arabian Peninsula. The Syrian Desert and the Nafud Desert are notable features in the final two hours, with the terrain transitioning from Mediterranean scrubland to pure desert plateau.