Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Chicago to Vienna. While the left side wins at departure for the Chicago skyline, the right side delivers more consistently across the full flight — the Atlantic crossing is featureless from either side, but on approach to Vienna the right seat provides the most dramatic views of the Danube, the Wienerwald, and the city itself. If forced to pick one side for the whole flight, right is the better call.

During takeoff from Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD departures heading east or northeast (common for transatlantic routing) put the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan on the left side. You get a clear view of the downtown Loop, the lakefront, and the southern shore of Lake Michigan as the aircraft climbs and turns northeast. Notable sights include: Chicago Loop skyline, Lake Michigan shoreline, Navy Pier, Indiana Dunes coastline to the southeast.

When landing at Schwechat (VIE), sit on the Right side for the best views. VIE approaches from the west or northwest on runway 16/34 or 11/29 configurations. A right-side seat on approach from the northwest gives views over the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), the Danube River curving through the city, and the historic city center including the Ringstrasse district. The airport sits southeast of the city, so right-side passengers see the urban core during final approach. Notable sights include: Danube River and Donauinsel, Vienna city center and Ringstrasse, Wienerwald hills to the west, Prater park and Riesenrad area.

The flight from Chicago Ohare International (ORD) to Schwechat (VIE) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The great circle route tracks northeast over the Great Lakes, then across southern Canada (Quebec/Labrador), crosses the North Atlantic at high latitude passing south of Greenland, makes landfall over Ireland or Scotland, crosses England and the North Sea, then tracks over the Netherlands, Germany, and into Austria. Notable features include the St. Lawrence River and Gulf, the Labrador coast, potential iceberg fields south of Greenland visible in clear conditions, the British Isles coastline, and the Rhine valley in Germany on descent.