Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Melbourne to Los Angeles. While takeoff favors the left, the landing approach on the right side offers more dramatic and visually distinctive scenery with the San Gabriel Mountains and the expansive LA basin. The landing experience outweighs the takeoff advantage.

During takeoff from Melbourne Essendon (MEB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side offers views of Port Phillip Bay and the Dandenong Ranges as the aircraft climbs westward. Right side faces inland toward less visually distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: Port Phillip Bay, Dandenong Ranges, Melbourne CBD skyline, Yarra River.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side provides excellent views of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Los Angeles basin during descent. The mountain range creates a dramatic visual backdrop, and you'll see the sprawling LA urban grid and coastal features. Notable sights include: San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles basin urban grid, Santa Monica Mountains, Pacific coastline.

The flight from Melbourne Essendon (MEB) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 14-15 hours.

This transpacific route crosses the Pacific Ocean for roughly 8-10 hours with minimal visible landmarks. The flight path typically passes south of Hawaii (not directly overhead). Notable features include: departure over the Tasman Sea and Australian coastline, extended ocean crossing with occasional cloud formations and sunrise/sunset views, approach to North American continent near the California coast with the Sierra Nevada mountains visible during final descent stages. The most visually interesting portions are the first 1-2 hours after departure and the final 2-3 hours before landing.