Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Madrid to New York. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. Departure gives you central Madrid and the Sierra de Guadarrama; arrival gives you Jamaica Bay and the Manhattan skyline. Over the mid-Atlantic there is little to see regardless of side, so the departure and arrival views are the deciding factor.

During takeoff from Barajas (MAD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Barajas typically departs westbound on runway 32L/32R, then turns north toward the Atlantic. Left side seats face south and southwest during the initial climb, giving a clear view over central Madrid — the city grid, Retiro Park, and the Manzanares River valley are all visible before the aircraft tracks northwest. The Sierra de Guadarrama rises sharply to the northwest and is visible from both sides, but the left side gets the better angle on the city itself during the turn. Notable sights include: Central Madrid city grid and Gran Via corridor, Retiro Park (large rectangular green space southeast of center), Manzanares River valley, Sierra de Guadarrama ridge to the northwest.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK sits on the south shore of Long Island, and aircraft typically approach from the northeast or east on runway 13L/13R, tracking southwest over Jamaica Bay. Left side seats get a direct view of Lower Manhattan's skyline, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and Brooklyn as the aircraft descends over the bay. The right side faces south over the open Atlantic and the Rockaway Peninsula, which is far less interesting. Notable sights include: Lower Manhattan skyline (visible to the northwest), Jamaica Bay and its wildlife refuge islands, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Brooklyn waterfront and urban grid.

The flight from Barajas (MAD) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours westbound.

The flight tracks northwest from Madrid across the Cantabrian coast of northern Spain, then out over the Bay of Biscay and the open North Atlantic. The route passes south of Iceland and Greenland's southern tip, then crosses the Canadian Maritime provinces — Nova Scotia and possibly the coast of Newfoundland are visible on clear days — before descending over New England and Long Island Sound into JFK. The mid-ocean portion offers nothing but water for roughly 5 to 6 hours.