Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Kahului to Phoenix. Left side wins the full flight. Departure gives you Haleakala and the Maui coastline, the flight path northeast then east over the Pacific and into the mainland offers left-side views of the California coast if routing goes that way, and the Phoenix arrival on left gives South Mountain and the city grid. Right side has some merit over the Mojave but left is consistently stronger at both endpoints.

During takeoff from Kahului (OGG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Kahului typically departs on Runway 02 (heading northeast) or Runway 20 (heading southwest). On a northeast departure, the left side faces northwest toward the West Maui Mountains and the Pailolo Channel. On a southwest departure, the left side looks southeast over Haleakala's massive shield volcano flanks. Either way, left captures the dominant volcanic terrain of central and east Maui. Notable sights include: Haleakala summit crater (10,023 ft), West Maui Mountains (Pu'u Kukui), Pailolo Channel between Maui and Molokai, Kahului Harbor and isthmus flatlands.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Left side for the best views. Phoenix Sky Harbor primarily uses runways oriented east-west (Runways 07/25 and 08/26). On a westbound approach to Runway 25 or 26, the left side faces south over the South Mountain Park massif and the broad Salt River valley. On an eastbound departure or approach from the east, the left side captures downtown Phoenix, Tempe Town Lake, and the distinctive Superstition Mountains to the east. Notable sights include: South Mountain Park (largest municipal park in the US, clearly visible as a dark rocky ridge), Tempe Town Lake (rectangular reservoir on the Salt River), downtown Phoenix skyline, Camelback Mountain.

The flight from Kahului (OGG) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 5 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 45 minutes.

After leaving Maui, the route crosses open Pacific Ocean for roughly 2,400 miles before reaching the California coast near Los Angeles or the Central Valley. Overflying the Mojave Desert, you may see the Salton Sea (a large inland saline lake, visible from altitude as a pale blue rectangle in the desert), the Colorado River corridor marking the California-Arizona border, and the Sonoran Desert stretching into Phoenix. The Sierra Nevada and San Gabriel Mountains may be visible on the northern horizon depending on exact routing.