Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Melbourne to New York. While the takeoff offers excellent views of Melbourne's geography, the landing approach into JFK provides more dramatic and visually distinctive urban and water features—the Hudson River, Manhattan's grid, and the Atlantic coastline are more striking than Melbourne's suburban sprawl.

During takeoff from Melbourne International (MEL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left seats offer views of Port Phillip Bay and the Dandenong Ranges as the aircraft climbs southeastward from Melbourne. The bay's distinctive shape and the forested ridgeline provide clear visual reference during the initial climb. Notable sights include: Port Phillip Bay, Dandenong Ranges, Yarra River estuary, Melbourne CBD skyline.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right seats provide views of the Hudson River, Manhattan's grid pattern, and the Atlantic coastline as the aircraft descends toward JFK from the northwest. The river's distinctive curves and the urban geometry of New York City are striking visual landmarks. Notable sights include: Hudson River, Manhattan Island, East River, Atlantic Ocean coastline.

The flight from Melbourne International (MEL) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 15.5 to 16.5 hours (including typical routing via Pacific and North American airspace).

The flight crosses the Tasman Sea (no landmarks visible—open ocean for approximately 2,000 miles), then passes over New Zealand's South Island (mountains and fjords visible on some routing variations), continues across the Pacific with no significant landmarks, approaches North America over the Rocky Mountains (visible as a north-south ridge system in the western United States), and follows the Great Lakes region before descending toward the Atlantic seaboard.