Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Birmingham. While the left side wins at takeoff for the Chicago skyline, the right side offers the more sustained and visually interesting experience overall. During cruise the right side looks south and east toward the Appalachian foothills as you approach Tennessee and Alabama, and the Red Mountain and ridge-valley terrain on approach into Birmingham is genuinely dramatic compared to flat suburban Chicago on departure.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. O'Hare's most common southbound departures on runways 10L/10R or 28L/28R mean the aircraft typically turns southeast toward downtown Chicago. The left side gives you a clear view of the Chicago skyline, Lake Michigan's shoreline, and the dense urban grid of the city as you climb out heading south. Notable sights include: Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower, John Hancock), Lake Michigan shoreline, Chicago River corridor, suburban grid of Oak Park and Cicero.

When landing at Birmingham International (BHM), sit on the Right side for the best views. Flights from Chicago approach Birmingham typically from the north or northwest, with BHM's primary runway 06/24 meaning arrivals often come in from the northwest on a heading toward runway 06. The right side on approach gives views of the Appalachian ridges of the Cahaba Valley and Red Mountain, plus the downtown Birmingham skyline as you descend. Notable sights include: Red Mountain and Vulcan statue, downtown Birmingham skyline, Cahaba River valley, Appalachian ridge-and-valley terrain to the east.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Birmingham International (BHM) takes Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

The flight tracks roughly southeast over central Illinois farmland, crossing the Ohio River near Evansville Indiana, then over western Kentucky and Tennessee. The flat agricultural grid of Illinois gives way to gently rolling terrain in Kentucky. As you descend into Alabama the Appalachian ridge-and-valley system becomes visible, with parallel forested ridges running northeast to southwest across the landscape. The Tennessee River valley may be visible on the right side over northern Alabama.