London to Taipei flight path: LHR to TPE

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Taipei. The right side wins both the London departure (skyline and Thames) and the Taipei arrival (Yangmingshan mountains and city views), while the long cruise over Siberia/Central Asia and China offers similar terrain on either side, making the takeoff and landing differences decisive.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Westerly departures from Heathrow climb out over Windsor before curving right onto a northeasterly track toward continental Europe, putting the London skyline — the Thames, Canary Wharf, and the City — into view on the right side as the aircraft banks. The left side mostly shows the flatter suburbs and countryside west of London. Notable sights include: River Thames, Windsor Castle area, Canary Wharf/City of London skyline, Thames Estuary.

When landing at Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE), sit on the Right side for the best views. Arriving from the north over China and the Taiwan Strait, flights typically swing around Taiwan's northern coast before lining up for runway 23 into Taoyuan, giving right-side passengers a view of the Taipei basin, Taipei 101, and the green volcanic ridges of Yangmingshan National Park just before the turn to final approach. The left side during this maneuver mostly faces open water. Notable sights include: Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei 101 skyline, Taiwan Strait coastline, Tamsui River estuary.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE) takes 13h 20m.

The route crosses the flat plains of Eastern Europe, the Ural Mountains marking the Europe-Asia boundary, the vast steppe and desert basins of Central Asia and western China (including the edges of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts), and the Tian Shan and Altai mountain ranges before descending toward the Taiwan Strait.