Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Norfolk. While the right side wins at takeoff for the Chicago skyline, the left side captures the most dramatic and sustained views across the full flight — including the Ohio River valley crossing, the Appalachian ridgelines of West Virginia and Virginia seen at a distance, and the spectacular Hampton Roads arrival with the naval station and Chesapeake Bay. The landing views on the left are genuinely exceptional.

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-southeast. From the right side, you get a clear view back over the Chicago skyline as the aircraft banks south, with Lake Michigan's southwestern shoreline stretching northeast. The dense urban grid of Chicago's North Side and the lakefront parks are clearly visible. Notable sights include: Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower, John Hancock), Lake Michigan southwestern shoreline, Chicago lakefront parkway system, O'Hare suburban grid of Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village.

When landing at Norfolk International (ORF), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORF typically uses runway 23 for arrivals from the northwest, meaning the aircraft approaches from the northwest heading southeast. The left side gives you views over the Elizabeth River, Hampton Roads harbor, and the naval station — one of the largest in the world — before touchdown. The Chesapeake Bay mouth and Norfolk's waterfront are clearly visible on approach. Notable sights include: Hampton Roads harbor and Elizabeth River, Naval Station Norfolk (largest naval base in the world), Chesapeake Bay mouth, Norfolk downtown waterfront and Portsmouth across the river.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Norfolk International (ORF) takes Approximately 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes.

The flight tracks southeast across Indiana's flat agricultural grid, then crosses the Ohio River near Cincinnati or slightly east. Over West Virginia and western Virginia, the parallel ridges of the Appalachian Mountains — specifically the Ridge and Valley province including Allegheny Front and the Shenandoah Valley — are visible as corrugated terrain before the land flattens into the Virginia Piedmont and then the Tidewater coastal plain approaching Norfolk.