Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Missoula. While takeoff offers brief Lake Michigan views, the landing approach provides sustained, dramatic scenery of the Northern Rockies. The descent into Missoula Valley with the Bitterroot Range is the visual highlight of this route and justifies the right-side preference overall.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side offers views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago shoreline immediately after departure. The aircraft climbs northwest out of ORD, so the left wing captures the lakefront and urban grid of Chicago before heading inland toward the Midwest. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan (eastern shore), Chicago downtown skyline, Des Plaines River valley, suburban Chicago grid extending west.

When landing at Missoula Montana Airport (MSO), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side provides excellent views of the Missoula Valley and surrounding mountain ranges during descent. The aircraft approaches from the northwest, so the right wing faces south and southwest toward the Bitterroot Range and the valley floor where Missoula sits. Notable sights include: Bitterroot Range (southwest), Missoula Valley floor, Clark Fork River, Lolo Peak.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Missoula Montana Airport (MSO) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses Iowa (farmland and river valleys), enters South Dakota near the Missouri River, then transitions into Montana across rolling prairie. The Black Hills appear as a subtle elevation change on the horizon around the South Dakota-Wyoming border. As the aircraft approaches Montana, the terrain gradually rises toward the Rocky Mountain front, with the Northern Rockies becoming increasingly prominent. The Flathead region and Mission Mountains become visible in the final 45 minutes before descent into Missoula.