Portland to Detroit flight path: PDX to DET

Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Portland to Detroit. The right side wins on the strength of a dramatic Mt. Hood departure and a skyline-view landing into Detroit City Airport, bookending an otherwise flat Midwestern cruise that offers little differentiation between sides.

During takeoff from Portland International (PDX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing PDX eastbound on runway 10, the climb-out puts Mt. Hood's glaciated cone directly off the right side, with the Columbia River Gorge cutting through forested ridgelines below. The left side shows only the flatter Willamette Valley and Portland's outer suburbs. Notable sights include: Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge, Sandy River valley, Cascade foothills.

When landing at Detroit City (DET), sit on the Right side for the best views. On approach into Detroit City Airport, the final turn typically brings the aircraft in low over the Detroit River with downtown Detroit's skyline — including the Renaissance Center towers — visible off the right side just before touchdown. The left side mostly shows residential Detroit neighborhoods with less distinctive scenery. Notable sights include: Detroit River, Renaissance Center skyline, Belle Isle, Windsor, Ontario across the river.

The flight from Portland International (PDX) to Detroit City (DET) takes about 4 hours 5 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 1,960 miles (3,154 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

Rolling plains of Montana and the Dakotas, the upper Missouri River basin, and the flat farmland of Minnesota and Wisconsin give way to the western Great Lakes region near Michigan.