Mexico City to Istanbul flight path: MEX to IST

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Mexico City to Istanbul. The right side wins narrowly because the Mexico City departure delivers one of the most striking volcanic views of any takeoff worldwide, while the long transatlantic cruise offers little terrain variety on either side. The Istanbul approach is pleasant but more subdued than the volcano departure.

During takeoff from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing MEX on runway 05L, the climb-out heading is roughly ENE, which puts the snow-capped volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl directly on the right side of the aircraft as the city recedes below. This is one of the most dramatic departure views in Latin America. Notable sights include: Popocatépetl volcano, Iztaccíhuatl volcano, Valley of Mexico basin, southeastern Mexico City suburbs.

When landing at İstanbul Airport (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. On the descent into Istanbul, arrivals from the west typically curve southeast over Thrace before lining up for landing, giving left-side passengers a sweeping view of the Sea of Marmara's coastline and the outer edges of Istanbul's sprawling suburbs. The Bosphorus and city skyline occasionally come into partial view during the turn. Notable sights include: Sea of Marmara coastline, Istanbul suburban sprawl, Thrace farmland patchwork, distant Bosphorus strait.

The flight from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX) to İstanbul Airport (IST) takes about 13 hours 15 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 7,076 miles (11,387 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The route crosses the Gulf of Mexico, the northern coast of Cuba, then a long stretch of open Atlantic Ocean before making landfall over the Iberian Peninsula near Portugal, continuing across southern Spain and the western Mediterranean toward Italy and the Balkans before descending into Istanbul.