Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Helsinki. While the left side offers excellent Chicago departure views, the right side provides the more dramatic and extended scenery during the long transatlantic crossing and approach. The Finnish archipelago and Gulf of Finland on descent are visually distinctive and unique, whereas the Atlantic crossing offers primarily open ocean.

During takeoff from Chicago Midway International (MDW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side offers views of Lake Michigan immediately after departure, with the Chicago skyline visible to the north. The aircraft climbs northeastward over the lake, providing extended water views before heading across the Atlantic. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan, Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower visible on clear days), Indiana shoreline to the south, Calumet River industrial area.

When landing at Helsinki Vantaa (HEL), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side provides views of the Finnish archipelago and the Gulf of Finland as the aircraft descends toward Helsinki. The approach from the southwest brings the Åland Islands and coastal features into view on the right side during final descent. Notable sights include: Gulf of Finland, Finnish archipelago (thousands of small islands), Åland Islands, Helsinki coastal area with Vantaa airport region.

The flight from Chicago Midway International (MDW) to Helsinki Vantaa (HEL) takes Approximately 9 hours 15 minutes to 9 hours 45 minutes.

The flight path crosses the North Atlantic at high altitude (typically 35,000-37,000 feet). Notable features include: Greenland's east coast (visible on northerly routing, appearing as a massive ice sheet and mountainous terrain along the horizon); the Atlantic Ocean (open water for most of the crossing with occasional weather systems visible as cloud formations); the Norwegian coast and Scandinavian mountains (visible during descent approach, including the Scandes mountain range); and the transition into the Baltic region with increasing island density as the aircraft approaches Finland.