Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Amsterdam. Left side wins both ends of the flight. Over the Atlantic the views are similar on both sides, but the Left side also tracks slightly closer to the southern tip of Greenland and Iceland's coast during the great circle route, offering occasional glimpses of ice and coastline on clear days. Chicago departure and Amsterdam arrival both strongly favor Left.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD departures heading east or northeast (common for transatlantic routing) put the Left side facing south toward downtown Chicago. You get a clear view of the Loop skyline, Lake Michigan's shoreline, and the lakefront parks. Right side faces northwest toward suburban sprawl with little of interest. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline and Willis Tower, Lake Michigan shoreline and Navy Pier, Grant Park and Museum Campus, Wrigley Field neighborhood (North Side).

When landing at Schiphol (AMS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Schiphol's most common landing approaches are from the east or northeast on runways 18R/18C (heading south) or 27 (heading west). A southward approach puts the Left side facing east over central Amsterdam, giving clear views of the canal ring, the IJ waterfront, and the city center. The Right side faces west over flat agricultural polder land with little visual interest. Notable sights include: Amsterdam canal ring (UNESCO World Heritage grachtengordel), IJ waterfront and Amsterdam Centraal station, Westergasfabriek and Jordaan district, Haarlemmermeer polder fields.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Schiphol (AMS) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The great circle route from ORD to AMS crosses the northern Great Lakes (Lake Huron and Lake Erie visible early in flight), then tracks over southern Ontario and Quebec, crosses the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland coast, arcs northeast over the North Atlantic passing south of Greenland and Iceland, then descends over Scotland and the North Sea before entering Dutch airspace. Mid-flight features include the Newfoundland coastline, occasional icebergs in the Labrador Sea, and the Scottish Highlands on the eastern approach.