Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Portland to Keflavik. Takeoff views of Mount Hood and the Cascades are more visually dramatic and geographically distinctive than the landing approach over volcanic terrain. The departure climb offers clearer landmark identification and better contrast.

During takeoff from Portland International (PDX), sit on the Left side for the best views. PDX typically departs runways 10L/10R or 28L/28R depending on wind. Westbound departures (most common for Iceland routing) use runway 28, climbing northwest. Left seats face the Cascade Range and Mount Hood directly on the departure track, while right seats see the Columbia River valley and distant terrain. Notable sights include: Mount Hood (11,240 ft, ~50 miles east-southeast), Cascade Range spine, Columbia River gorge, Portland metro area sprawl.

When landing at Keflavik Nas (KEF), sit on the Right side for the best views. KEF approaches typically use runway 02 (northbound) or 20 (southbound) depending on wind. Most transatlantic arrivals use runway 02, descending from the northeast over the Atlantic. Right seats face the Reykjanes Peninsula's volcanic terrain, geothermal features, and the approach path over the North Atlantic, while left seats see open ocean. Notable sights include: Reykjanes Peninsula lava fields (dark volcanic rock), Svartsengi geothermal area (steam plumes visible), Atlantic coastline with black sand beaches, Keflavik town.

The flight from Portland International (PDX) to Keflavik Nas (KEF) takes Approximately 9 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses the North Pacific in a great-circle route. Notable waypoints include passage over or near the Aleutian Islands (Alaska) at roughly the 4-5 hour mark, though these are typically at or below cruise altitude visibility threshold. The majority of the flight crosses open ocean with no visible landmarks. As the aircraft approaches Iceland, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge's influence on Iceland's volcanic geology becomes apparent, but the ridge itself is underwater. Greenland's southern tip may be visible on clear days during the final 2-3 hours of flight, appearing as a distant white ice sheet on the northern horizon during descent into KEF.