Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Portland to Phoenix. The left side wins overall. The takeoff views of the Columbia River, Mount Hood, and the Cascades are exceptional and hard to beat. Through the cruise portion heading south-southeast, the left side also tracks closer to the Oregon Cascades and eventually the Sierra Nevada foothills. The landing view advantage on the right is real but shorter-lived.

During takeoff from Portland International (PDX), sit on the Left side for the best views. PDX primarily uses runways 28L/28R for westbound departures, then turns south. The left side gets a clear view of the Columbia River immediately below, then Mount Hood dominates the eastern skyline as the aircraft climbs and banks south. Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams are visible to the north-northeast. Notable sights include: Columbia River, Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Portland city grid.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. PHX typically lands on runways 26 or 25R approaching from the east, meaning the aircraft comes in from the east heading west. The right side faces north and gets the best view of the Phoenix metro grid, Camelback Mountain, and the McDowell Mountains as the plane descends over the Valley of the Sun. Notable sights include: Phoenix metro grid, Camelback Mountain, McDowell Mountains, Salt River bed.

The flight from Portland International (PDX) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes.

The flight crosses the Oregon Cascades and Klamath Mountains, then the high desert of northern California and Nevada. Crater Lake may be visible to the left in southern Oregon on clear days. The route then crosses the Mojave Desert, with the Colorado River visible as a thin line near the Arizona-California border before descending into the Phoenix basin over the Sonoran Desert.