Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Kahului to San Francisco. Left side wins both ends of the flight. The Maui departure gives you Haleakala and the island coastline, and the SFO arrival delivers the full San Francisco Bay panorama including the Bay Bridge and city skyline on descent.

During takeoff from Kahului (OGG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Kahului typically departs runway 02 heading north, which puts the left (west) side facing Haleakala volcano and the West Maui Mountains. You get a sweeping view of the entire island as you climb out over the channel. Notable sights include: Haleakala summit crater (10,023 ft), West Maui Mountains, Maalaea Bay, Kahului Harbor.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO typically lands on runways 28L/28R approaching from the east, meaning the aircraft tracks westward over the Bay Area. Left side passengers get a clear view of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the San Francisco peninsula as you descend. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, San Francisco city grid and downtown, San Mateo Bridge.

The flight from Kahului (OGG) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 5 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks northeast over open Pacific Ocean for the majority of the route with no land visible. As you approach the California coast you cross over the rugged coastal ranges north of San Francisco, and on clear days the Sierra Nevada can be seen as a distant snow-capped ridge far to the east. The Farallon Islands may be briefly visible roughly 30 miles west of the Golden Gate as you begin descent.