Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Madison to Denver. Left side wins both ends of the flight. At departure you get the Madison lakes and isthmus, and at arrival you get the full panorama of the Rocky Mountain Front Range on approach to Denver. The right side offers flat Iowa and Nebraska farmland for most of the cruise, which is less compelling.

During takeoff from Dane Co Rgnl Truax Fld (MSN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Madison's primary departure runway 36/18 means westbound departures often use runway 18 heading south or runway 36 heading north before turning west. A left-side seat gives you Lake Mendota and Lake Monona as the aircraft climbs and banks southwest. These two lakes flanking the Madison isthmus are the most distinctive feature of the city from the air. Notable sights include: Lake Mendota to the north, Lake Monona to the south, the Madison isthmus with the State Capitol dome, Lake Wingra.

When landing at Denver International (DEN), sit on the Left side for the best views. DEN's primary arrival runways from the east typically use 34L/34R or 26 approaches, meaning the aircraft approaches from the east or southeast. A left-side seat faces south and southwest, giving a clear view of the Front Range — the entire stretch from Pikes Peak in the south to Longs Peak in the north — as the plane descends over the plains. The right side faces northeast toward flat prairie with little of interest. Notable sights include: Front Range of the Rocky Mountains (Longs Peak, Mount Evans, Pikes Peak), Denver city skyline, Cherry Creek Reservoir, the flat expanse of the Denver metro grid.

The flight from Dane Co Rgnl Truax Fld (MSN) to Denver International (DEN) takes Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes.

The flight tracks roughly west-southwest across southern Wisconsin, then crosses the Mississippi River near the Quad Cities area, traverses the flat agricultural plains of Iowa, crosses the Missouri River near Omaha or Council Bluffs, then continues across the Nebraska Sandhills and the high plains of eastern Colorado before the Front Range comes into view on descent. The Platte River valley is visible as a broad shallow braided river system crossing Nebraska. Near the Colorado border, the terrain begins its gradual rise toward the Rockies.