Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Orlando to Phoenix. The right side wins overall because the PHX arrival on the right delivers the most dramatic and concentrated scenery — Camelback Mountain and the Phoenix basin are genuinely iconic. During the cruise over the Gulf Coast, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, the right side also picks up better views of the Texas Hill Country transition and New Mexico desert basin-and-range terrain. The left side takeoff view from MCO is good but brief.

During takeoff from Orlando International (MCO), sit on the Left side for the best views. MCO typically departs westbound on runway 18L/36R or uses runways oriented north-south. Climbing out westward, the left (south) side gives you a clear view over the Orlando urban grid, the chain of lakes through the city, and Walt Disney World's distinctive layout including the Seven Seas Lagoon. The right side faces north toward less distinctive suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Walt Disney World resort complex and Seven Seas Lagoon, Lake Tohopekaliga to the south, Orlando's downtown lake chain (Lake Eola area), Florida Turnpike corridor cutting southwest.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. PHX primarily lands from the east on runways 26/25R/25L, meaning the aircraft approaches heading west. The right (north) side gives a clear view of the McDowell Mountains, Camelback Mountain's distinctive camel-hump silhouette, and the dense Phoenix metro grid. The left side faces south toward South Mountain Park but the iconic Camelback and downtown skyline are on the right. Notable sights include: Camelback Mountain (distinctive twin-humped ridge), McDowell Mountains to the northeast, Phoenix downtown skyline, Salt River bed cutting through the valley floor.

The flight from Orlando International (MCO) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks northwest across the Florida panhandle, then over the Gulf Coast near Pensacola, crossing into Louisiana and Texas. Over Texas you pass the Hill Country and the Permian Basin's flat oil-field terrain. Crossing into New Mexico, the Sacramento Mountains and White Sands basin are visible to the south. Arizona entry brings the Chiricahua and Dragoon mountain ranges before the Sonoran Desert opens into the Phoenix basin.