Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Bangor. The right side delivers the dramatic Chicago departure with the skyline and Lake Michigan, and while it misses the best Penobscot Bay views on landing, the takeoff spectacle over one of America's great urban waterfronts makes it the stronger overall choice for the full flight.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Right side for the best views. ORD's most common eastbound departures use runways 10R/10L heading east, putting the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan on the right side. You'll get a clear view of the downtown Loop and the lakefront as the aircraft climbs and turns northeast. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, Navy Pier, Grant Park and Museum Campus.

When landing at Bangor International (BGR), sit on the Left side for the best views. BGR typically uses runway 33 for northwesterly approaches, meaning the aircraft arrives from the southeast tracking northwest. The left side faces west and southwest, giving views of Penobscot Bay, the Penobscot River valley, and the forested Maine interior as you descend. Notable sights include: Penobscot River, Penobscot Bay, Bangor urban area, forested Maine interior.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Bangor International (BGR) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks northeast across southern Michigan, crossing Lake Erie near its western end or just north of it, then over Ontario briefly before entering upstate New York. You'll pass over the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York — a visually distinctive region of dark forested ridges and lakes — before crossing into western Maine's heavily forested interior and the White Mountains region of New Hampshire on the southern horizon.