Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Mexico City to Phoenix. The right side delivers the spectacular Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanic views on departure — genuinely world-class scenery that outweighs the Phoenix arrival advantage. During cruise the right side also tracks the Sierra Madre Occidental ranges through Chihuahua and the Sonoran Desert terrain approaching Arizona.

During takeoff from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX), sit on the Right side for the best views. MEX typically departs on runway 05R heading northeast, then turns northwest toward PHX. The right side gives you a clear view of the Valley of Mexico, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes to the southeast, and the sprawling Mexico City metro area. These are among the most dramatic departure views in North America. Notable sights include: Popocatépetl volcano (active, 17,802 ft), Iztaccíhuatl volcano (17,159 ft), Mexico City urban grid and Texcoco lakebed, Sierra Nevada mountain range.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Left side for the best views. PHX typically lands on runway 26 or 25L heading west, meaning the aircraft approaches from the east over the Valley of the Sun. The left side faces south and gives you the best view of South Mountain Park, the Estrella Mountains, and the Phoenix metro grid laid out in the afternoon light. The right side faces north toward Camelback Mountain and the McDowell Mountains but the left offers the broader panorama of the city approach. Notable sights include: South Mountain Park (largest municipal park in the US), Estrella Mountains, Phoenix urban grid and Salt River bed, Camelback Mountain visible to the north.

The flight from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The route crosses the Mexican Plateau and the Sierra Madre Occidental ranges through Durango and Chihuahua states, then the Sonoran Desert basin-and-range terrain of northern Sonora and southern Arizona. The Rio Conchos drainage, the Chihuahuan Desert flats, and the distinctive parallel mountain ridges of the Basin and Range Province are visible during cruise. The US-Mexico border crossing occurs roughly over the Nogales area or west of there depending on routing.