Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Mountain View to Phoenix. The right side wins overall. The takeoff view over San Francisco Bay's colorful salt ponds and the Santa Cruz Mountains is genuinely spectacular and hard to beat. Mid-flight the right side also tracks closer to the Mojave Desert terrain and the Harquahala Mountains as you descend into Arizona. The landing left-side advantage is real but shorter in duration.

During takeoff from Moffett Federal Afld (NUQ), sit on the Right side for the best views. Moffett typically departs runway 32L heading northwest, then turns south toward PHX. The right side captures San Francisco Bay, the salt evaporation ponds with their vivid colors, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Left side faces inland toward the less scenic South Bay suburbs. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay salt ponds (bright reds and oranges), Dumbarton Bridge, Santa Cruz Mountains ridgeline, South Bay urban grid.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Left side for the best views. Phoenix Sky Harbor runways 25L/25R have aircraft approaching from the east heading west. The left side faces south and captures the South Mountain Park massif, the sprawling Phoenix metro grid, and Tempe Town Lake. Right side looks north toward less dramatic suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: South Mountain Park and Preserve, Tempe Town Lake, Phoenix downtown skyline, Salt River bed.

The flight from Moffett Federal Afld (NUQ) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes.

The route crosses the Diablo Range east of the Bay Area, then the San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains or Mojave Desert depending on routing, the Colorado Desert, and the Harquahala and Hassayampa plains approaching Phoenix. The Salton Sea may be visible to the south on some routings. The Mojave is visually stark with dry lake beds and isolated mountain ranges.