Right-side seats win overall because the takeoff view over Lake Michigan and Chicago is more visually striking than the landing approach. The lake provides a dramatic water-based reference point immediately after departure, while the landing view, though mountainous, is more distant and compressed.
Flown MDW to SLC? Did we get it right?
Flight Path
Chicago to Salt Lake City is 1,256 miles (2,021 km), a flight of about 3 hours 5 minutes.
The flight path crosses Iowa and enters Wyoming/Utah airspace. Notable features include the Missouri River valley (visible around 90 minutes out), the Rocky Mountain front near the Wyoming-Colorado border (around 2.5 hours), and the Uinta Basin with its distinctive badlands topography (final 45 minutes). The Green River and its canyons become visible in the approach phase. Clear days offer views of the Laramie Range and Medicine Bow Mountains in southern Wyoming.
Great circle distance and headings ›
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Phase by phase
Takeoff from MDW
RIGHTRight-side seats capture the climb-out over Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline to the northeast. Midway typically departs runways 31L/31R (heading ~310°), which banks the aircraft right over the lake and downtown Chicago's grid pattern.
Landing at SLC
LEFTLeft-side seats offer the best views during approach to Salt Lake City. Typical landing runways are 16L/16R (heading ~160°), which means the approach comes from the north over the Wasatch Range foothills. Left seats face the dramatic Wasatch Mountains and the valley floor.
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About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Chicago Midway International (MDW) to Salt Lake City International (SLC)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Salt Lake City. Right-side seats win overall because the takeoff view over Lake Michigan and Chicago is more visually striking than the landing approach. The lake provides a dramatic water-based reference point immediately after departure, while the landing view, though mountainous, is more distant and compressed.
What can I see during takeoff from Chicago Midway International in Chicago?
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 and the Chicago skyline to the northeast. Midway typically departs runways 31L/31R (heading ~310°), which banks the aircraft right over the lake and downtown Chicago's grid pattern. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan (immediate right, sparkling water body), Chicago downtown skyline (northeast, recognizable cluster of tall buildings), Des Plaines River valley (left, snaking through suburbs), Archer Avenue industrial corridor (left, visible as linear development).
What can I see when landing at Salt Lake City International in Salt Lake City?
When landing at Salt Lake City International (SLC), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats offer the best views during approach to Salt Lake City. Typical landing runways are 16L/16R (heading ~160°), which means the approach comes from the north over the Wasatch Range foothills. Left seats face the dramatic Wasatch Mountains and the valley floor. Notable sights include: Wasatch Range (left, snow-capped peaks rising sharply from the valley), Great Salt Lake (right, large pale water body visible 20-30 miles west), Salt Lake Valley floor (center, urban grid and farmland), Oquirrh Mountains (right-center, lower range west of the lake).
How long is the flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City?
The flight from Chicago Midway International (MDW) to Salt Lake City International (SLC) takes about 3 hours 5 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 1,256 miles (2,021 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.
What does the Chicago to Salt Lake City flight path pass over?
The flight path crosses Iowa and enters Wyoming/Utah airspace. Notable features include the Missouri River valley (visible around 90 minutes out), the Rocky Mountain front near the Wyoming-Colorado border (around 2.5 hours), and the Uinta Basin with its distinctive badlands topography (final 45 minutes). The Green River and its canyons become visible in the approach phase. Clear days offer views of the Laramie Range and Medicine Bow Mountains in southern Wyoming.