About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from North Island Nas (NZY) to The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Diego to Atlanta. The right side wins overall. The San Diego Bay and Coronado Island departure view is genuinely spectacular and hard to beat. En route, the right side also gives better views of the Sonoran Desert, southern New Mexico terrain, and Texas hill country. The Atlanta arrival advantage on the left is real but shorter-lived.
What can I see during takeoff from North Island Nas in San Diego?
During takeoff from North Island Nas (NZY), sit on the Right side for the best views. NAS North Island typically departs runway 36 heading north, then turns east. Right side gives you San Diego Bay, downtown San Diego skyline, and Coronado Island laid out below. Left side faces the Pacific and Point Loma peninsula. Notable sights include: San Diego Bay, Coronado Island and the Hotel del Coronado, downtown San Diego skyline, Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma.
What can I see when landing at The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International in Atlanta?
When landing at The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Hartsfield-Jackson primarily uses runways oriented east-west (8L/8R/9L/9R on approach from the west, or 26L/26R/27L/27R from the east). On a typical eastbound arrival from the west, the left side gives a clear view of downtown Atlanta's skyline as you descend over the western suburbs. Right side faces south toward less distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: Downtown Atlanta skyline, Stone Mountain visible to the east, Chattahoochee River corridor, I-285 perimeter highway loop.
How long is the flight from San Diego to Atlanta?
The flight from North Island Nas (NZY) to The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes.
What does the San Diego to Atlanta flight path pass over?
The route crosses the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, the Rio Grande valley near El Paso, the Chihuahuan Desert of west Texas, the Edwards Plateau and Texas Hill Country, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex visible to the north, then the pine forests and red clay terrain of Louisiana and Mississippi before entering Georgia. The Guadalupe Mountains in west Texas are the most visually distinctive terrain feature mid-flight on the right side.