Mexico City to Seattle flight path: MEX to SEA

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Mexico City to Seattle. The right side wins both the departure and arrival phases. During the flight the right side also faces west over the Pacific coastal ranges of Mexico, the Baja California peninsula visible in the distance over the Gulf of California, and later the Sierra Nevada and Cascades of the US West Coast. The left side has the Gulf of Mexico early on but the right side consistently offers more dramatic terrain throughout.

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, which puts the right side facing northwest toward the volcanic peaks of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. These two massive stratovolcanoes dominate the skyline southeast of the city during the climbing turn, and the right window gives the clearest unobstructed view of both summits. Notable sights include: Popocatépetl (active volcano, 17,802 ft), Iztaccíhuatl (dormant volcano, 17,159 ft), the urban sprawl of Mexico City spreading across the Valley of Mexico, Sierra Nevada volcanic range.

When landing at Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Right side for the best views. SeaTac primarily uses runways 16L/16R for southerly arrivals, meaning the aircraft approaches from the north heading south. The right side faces west over Puget Sound, giving clear views of the Olympic Peninsula and the sound's open water. The left side gets the Cascades but the right side's combination of water, islands, and mountains is more dramatic on final approach. Notable sights include: Puget Sound and its island-dotted waters, the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic Mountains to the west, Vashon Island directly below on approach, downtown Seattle skyline to the north.

The flight from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX) to Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) takes about 5 hours 45 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 2,335 miles (3,757 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The route tracks northwest over the Mexican states of Jalisco and Sinaloa, crossing the Sierra Madre Occidental range. The Gulf of California is visible to the right as a long narrow blue strip separating Baja California from the mainland. Over the US the flight crosses the Mojave Desert, then the Central Valley of California, before tracking up the spine of the Cascades through Oregon and into Washington. Mount Shasta, Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, and Mount Rainier are all potentially visible as isolated volcanic peaks along the Cascade chain depending on cloud cover.