Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Tokyo to Cebu. Left side delivers the better views at both ends of the flight — Tokyo Bay on departure and Illana Bay plus the Cotabato delta on approach. During the cruise over the Philippine Sea and Luzon Strait, the left side also faces the South China Sea side, offering occasional glimpses of Philippine island chains as the route tracks southwest.

During takeoff from New Tokyo International (NRT), sit on the Left side for the best views. Narita's primary departure runway 34L sends aircraft northward before turning southwest, putting the left side facing Tokyo Bay and the greater Tokyo metropolitan area. You get a clear look at the bay's broad expanse and the urban sprawl stretching toward Yokohama. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay, Chiba city grid below, distant Tokyo skyline to the west, Yokohama waterfront in the far distance.

When landing at Cotabato (CEB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Mactan-Cebu International (CEB) is actually the correct Cebu airport, but the destination listed is Cotabato — Francisco Bangoy International (DVO) serves Davao, while Awang Airport serves Cotabato. Approaching Awang/Cotabato from the north on runway 36, the left side faces west over Illana Bay and the Moro Gulf, giving open water views and the Cotabato lowlands. The right side faces the Bukidnon highlands interior. Notable sights include: Illana Bay, Moro Gulf, Cotabato River delta floodplain, distant Lanao del Sur highlands to the northeast.

The flight from New Tokyo International (NRT) to Cotabato (CEB) takes Approximately 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours.

The route crosses the Ryukyu Island chain (Okinawa visible on clear days), the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Luzon, then tracks over the northern Philippines passing near the Sierra Madre mountain range on Luzon's east coast, before crossing the Visayan Sea and descending over Mindanao toward the Cotabato Basin