Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Sacramento. The right side wins overall because the Sierra Nevada approach into Sacramento is one of the more dramatic arrivals in the western US, and the right side also catches the Rockies during the cruise portion of the flight. The Chicago departure view on the left is excellent but brief — the Sierra and Rockies views on the right last longer and are geographically more dramatic.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD departures heading west or northwest put the left side facing south toward downtown Chicago. You get a clear view of the Loop skyline, Lake Michigan's shoreline, and the lakefront parks as you climb out. The city grid is unmistakable from this angle. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, Grant Park and Museum Campus, Chicago River bends through downtown.

When landing at Sacramento International (SMF), sit on the Right side for the best views. SMF sits just west of Sacramento, and most arrivals come in from the east or northeast. The right side faces south and southeast, giving you views of the Sacramento Valley floor, the Sacramento River, and the Sierra Nevada foothills rising in the distance to the east. On clear days the snowcapped Sierra crest is visible on the horizon. Notable sights include: Sacramento River winding through the valley floor, Sierra Nevada foothills to the east, Sacramento city grid and the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, Central Valley agricultural patchwork.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Sacramento International (SMF) takes Approximately 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks roughly west-southwest from Chicago across Iowa and Nebraska, crossing the Missouri River, then over the high plains of Nebraska and Colorado. The Rocky Mountains are crossed over Colorado or southern Wyoming depending on routing — look for the Front Range rising abruptly from the plains, with peaks reaching 13,000-14,000 feet visible from cruise altitude. West of the Rockies the flight crosses the Great Basin desert of Nevada — flat, arid, and sparsely populated — before descending into the Sacramento Valley over the Sierra Nevada's western slope.