Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Athens. While takeoff from Midway favors the right side, the landing approach into Athens is significantly more visually rewarding from the left, and the transatlantic routing means most of the flight occurs over the Atlantic where neither side has dramatic landmarks. The left-side approach view of the Attica basin and surrounding mountains makes it the better overall choice.

During takeoff from Chicago Midway International (MDW), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats capture the climb-out over Lake Michigan's eastern shoreline and the Chicago skyline receding westward. Midway typically departs runways 31L/31R (heading ~310°), so right-side windows face north-northeast initially, giving direct views of the lake and downtown Chicago's high-rise cluster. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan (immediate eastern boundary), Chicago downtown skyline (west-southwest), Calumet River industrial corridor (south), Indiana Dunes (southeast, visible as sandy ridges along the far shore).

When landing at Athinai (HEW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats offer the best views during approach to Athens. Runways 03L/03R (heading ~030°) mean final approach vectors typically come from the north or northeast, positioning left-window passengers to see the Saronic Gulf, Attica coastline, and the Hymettus and Penteli mountain ranges framing the Athens basin. Notable sights include: Saronic Gulf (body of water to the west and south), Hymettus Mountain range (eastern rim of Athens basin, distinctive rocky ridgeline), Penteli Mountain (northern boundary), Athens urban sprawl (dense development filling the central plain).

The flight from Chicago Midway International (MDW) to Athinai (HEW) takes Approximately 9.5 to 10.5 hours.

The flight path crosses the North Atlantic, passing roughly south of Greenland and Iceland, then over the British Isles and continental Europe. Notable geographic features along the route include: the Atlantic Ocean (featureless at cruise altitude except for occasional cloud formations and weather systems), the Irish Sea and UK coastline (visible on approach to European airspace), the Alps (visible as a distant snow-capped ridge if the routing passes south of them, typically around 6-8 hours into flight), and the Balkans/Greece approach corridor (Pindus Mountains in northern Greece, then the descent into the Attica basin).