Chicago to Sacramento flight path: ORD to SMF

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Sacramento. The right side captures the Rocky Mountain front range and Great Salt Lake during cruise, plus the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe on descent, giving far more topographic variety than the largely flat Great Plains views on the left.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Right side for the best views. Westbound departures off ORD typically climb out with a turn that puts Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline off the right side briefly before the aircraft settles onto its westward heading. This is a fleeting but genuine urban/water view rare for a domestic departure. Notable sights include: Chicago skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, O'Hare's runway grid receding below.

When landing at Sacramento International (SMF), sit on the Right side for the best views. On approach into SMF from the east, the descent path crosses the Sierra Nevada, giving right-side passengers a good look at the granite peaks and Lake Tahoe basin before the terrain flattens into the Sacramento Valley's farmland and the American and Sacramento Rivers near touchdown. Notable sights include: Sierra Nevada crest, Lake Tahoe basin, Sacramento Valley farmland, confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Sacramento International (SMF) takes about 4 hours 15 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 1,777 miles (2,860 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

Great Plains of Nebraska, Rocky Mountain front range near Wyoming/Colorado border, Great Salt Lake and Utah's Wasatch Range, Nevada's Basin and Range desert, Sierra Nevada crest