Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Zurich. The left side misses the best of the London departure but wins decisively on the approach to Zurich with Lake Zurich and the Alps. Crucially, during the cruise over France and into Switzerland, the left side also faces south toward the Alps as the aircraft tracks southeast, giving earlier views of the Jura mountains and eventually the main Alpine chain. The Zurich arrival on the left is the highlight of the whole flight.

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 looks south over central London as the aircraft climbs and turns southeast. You get a clear view of the Thames snaking through the city, with recognizable landmarks laid out below before the aircraft heads toward the Channel. Notable sights include: River Thames through central London, Windsor Castle and Great Park to the west during initial climb, the City of London skyline, M25 orbital motorway ring.

When landing at Zurich (ZRH), sit on the Left side for the best views. Zurich typically lands on runway 14 or 16 from the north-northwest, meaning the aircraft approaches from the northwest and the left side faces east toward the Alps. This gives a spectacular view of the Swiss Alps including the Glarus Alps and, on clear days, the Bernese Oberland peaks on the horizon, as well as Lake Zurich below on final approach. Notable sights include: Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) directly below on approach, the Glarus Alps to the southeast, the Bernese Oberland peaks on the distant horizon, the city of Zurich and the Limmat river valley.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Zurich (ZRH) takes Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

The flight tracks southeast over southern England, crosses the English Channel near Calais, then flies over northeastern France through Champagne and Burgundy. The Jura mountains appear as a distinct forested ridge before the Swiss border. On clear days the main Alpine chain becomes visible well before descent, with the Bernese Oberland and Glarus Alps dominating the southern horizon as the aircraft crosses into Switzerland.