Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Paris. The Paris approach on the Right side delivers the most dramatic and concentrated visual payoff of the flight — central Paris laid out below on a long westward final is genuinely spectacular. The Chicago departure on the Left is excellent but briefer. If forced to pick one side for the whole flight, Right gives you the Paris arrival and also faces south over the Atlantic crossing, where you may glimpse the southern coast of Ireland and Cornwall during descent into Europe.

During takeoff from Chicago Midway International (MDW), sit on the Left side for the best views. MDW typically departs eastward on runway 13C/31C or northeast on 4L/22R. A northeast departure puts the Left side facing northwest toward downtown Chicago, giving a clear view of the Loop skyline and Lake Michigan's southern shoreline. The grid of Chicago's South Side streets and the lakefront parks are distinctly readable from climb-out altitude. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan southern shoreline, Grant Park and Museum Campus, Chicago River corridor.

When landing at Charles De Gaulle (CDG), sit on the Right side for the best views. CDG typically lands from the west on runways 26L/26R, meaning the aircraft approaches from over the Seine valley east of Paris. The Right side faces south during this approach, giving views over central Paris including the Seine bends, the Eiffel Tower area, and the dense Haussmann boulevard grid. The Left side faces north toward suburban sprawl with far less visual interest. Notable sights include: Seine River bends through central Paris, Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars, La Défense business district towers, Bois de Boulogne.

The flight from Chicago Midway International (MDW) to Charles De Gaulle (CDG) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The flight tracks northeast from Chicago across Lake Michigan's northern reaches, then over southern Ontario and Quebec before crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland. The Atlantic crossing follows a great circle route passing south of Greenland. Approaching Europe, the flight crosses southern Ireland and England before descending over the English Channel and northern France toward CDG. Notable features include the St. Lawrence River estuary, the Newfoundland coastline, and the patchwork agricultural fields of southern England and the Île-de-France visible during descent.