Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Mexico City to San Francisco. The right side wins overall because the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl views on departure are genuinely world-class — an active volcano with a plume visible from your seat is hard to beat. Mid-flight the right side also faces the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges as you track northwest over Baja California and California's Central Valley. The left side's SFO arrival view is excellent but slightly shorter in duration.

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 the route. The right side gives you a clear look at the Valley of Mexico and the twin volcanic peaks of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl to the southeast as you climb out and bank. These are genuinely dramatic at altitude — Popo is over 17,800 ft and often has a visible plume. Notable sights include: Popocatépetl volcano (17,802 ft, active with visible plume), Iztaccíhuatl volcano (17,159 ft), Lake Texcoco dry lakebed (white salt flats east of the airport), urban sprawl of Mexico City metro area.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO's primary arrival runways 28L/28R have aircraft approaching from the east over the Bay. On the left side you get a direct view of San Francisco Bay, the San Francisco peninsula, and the city skyline as you descend over the water. The right side faces south toward the peninsula suburbs with less dramatic scenery. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay (broad open water below on approach), San Francisco city skyline and downtown, San Mateo Bridge (visible to the south), Oakland and East Bay hills.

The flight from Licenciado Benito Juarez International (MEX) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes.

After departing Mexico City the route tracks northwest over the Mexican Plateau and the Sierra Madre Occidental. Over northern Mexico and Baja California you can see the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) — a long narrow blue strip — from either side depending on exact routing. Crossing into California the route passes over the Mojave Desert and then the southern Sierra Nevada. The Central Valley of California appears as a vast flat agricultural patchwork before the Coast Ranges signal the approach to the Bay Area.