Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Knoxville. The right side delivers the spectacular Chicago lakefront and skyline on departure, and while it misses the best Smoky Mountains view on landing, the Chicago takeoff is the single most dramatic visual moment of this flight. On the cruise portion heading southeast, the right side also tracks closer to the Ohio River valley and Kentucky terrain.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Right side for the best views. ORD's most common southeastward departures on runways 10R/10L put the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan on the right side. You get a clear view of the downtown Loop, Grant Park, and the lakefront as the aircraft climbs and turns southeast toward Indiana. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, Grant Park/Museum Campus, Indiana Dunes coastline.

When landing at Mc Ghee Tyson (TYS), sit on the Left side for the best views. TYS sits just southwest of Knoxville, and aircraft typically approach from the northwest on runway 23R/23L. The left side gives you the Great Smoky Mountains rising dramatically to the south and southeast, with the Tennessee River valley and downtown Knoxville visible below on approach. Notable sights include: Great Smoky Mountains (Appalachian ridgeline), Tennessee River, downtown Knoxville, Norris Lake to the north.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Mc Ghee Tyson (TYS) takes Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

The flight crosses southern Indiana's flat agricultural plains, then the Ohio River near Louisville or Lexington, before entering Kentucky's rolling Bluegrass region. The Cumberland Plateau begins rising noticeably as you cross into Tennessee, with the parallel Appalachian ridges becoming visible from altitude roughly 100 miles out from Knoxville.