Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Seoul. The left side delivers the dramatic Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan on departure, which is the most visually striking moment of the flight. The landing views on the right are interesting but largely flat coastal mudflats and urban sprawl in hazy conditions. Left wins overall for the Chicago departure alone.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD departures heading east or northeast (common for polar routes to Asia) put the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan on the left side. You get a clear view of the downtown Loop, Grant Park, and the lakefront as the aircraft banks north over the lake. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, Grant Park/Museum Campus, Wrigleyville and North Side neighborhoods.

When landing at Incheon International (ICN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Incheon Airport sits on Yeongjong Island west of Seoul. Aircraft typically approach from the west over the Yellow Sea, landing eastward. The right side faces south toward the Korean mainland, giving views of the Han River estuary, the western Seoul metro sprawl, and on clear days the distant mountains ringing the city. Notable sights include: Han River estuary and tidal flats, western Seoul metropolitan area, Gyeonggi Bay coastline, Bukhansan and Gwanaksan mountain ridges on the horizon.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Incheon International (ICN) takes Approximately 13-14 hours.

The great circle route arcs north over southern Canada, crosses Hudson Bay or James Bay, then tracks over the Canadian Arctic and Alaska's interior. It crosses the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands chain, then descends over the Russian Far East (Kamchatka Peninsula with its volcanic peaks visible on clear days), the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Japanese archipelago before crossing the Korea Strait to Incheon. The Kamchatka volcanoes and the Japanese Alps (if routing over Honshu) are the most visually dramatic midpoint features on a clear day.