About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Capital (PEK) to San Francisco International (SFO)?
Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Beijing to San Francisco. Right side wins at both ends of the flight. Over Beijing on departure you get the historic city core, and on arrival into SFO you get the full Bay panorama with the Golden Gate. The trans-Pacific routing over the North Pacific offers limited mid-flight scenery regardless of side, but the bookend views on the right are significantly better.
What can I see during takeoff from Capital in Beijing?
During takeoff from Capital (PEK), sit on the Right side for the best views. PEK's primary departure runway is 01/19, with northbound departures (Runway 01) turning eastward over the city. Right-side passengers get views over central Beijing including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the grid of hutong districts before the aircraft tracks northeast. Left side faces the western suburbs and industrial zones. Notable sights include: Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace reservoir (Kunming Lake), Beijing's central CBD tower cluster, Ming Tombs valley to the north.
What can I see when landing at San Francisco International in San Francisco?
When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Right side for the best views. SFO's primary arrival runways 28L/28R bring aircraft in from the east over the Bay. Right-side passengers get the full panorama of San Francisco Bay, the city peninsula, Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin Headlands as the aircraft descends over the water. Left side faces the East Bay flatlands and Oakland. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay and city peninsula, Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and Mount Tamalpais, San Francisco downtown skyline.
How long is the flight from Beijing to San Francisco?
The flight from Capital (PEK) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 10 to 11 hours westbound.
What does the Beijing to San Francisco flight path pass over?
The great circle route tracks northeast from Beijing over Manchuria and the Russian Far East, crossing the Kamchatka Peninsula with its volcanic peaks, then arcing across the North Pacific. Passengers may see the Aleutian Island chain as scattered dark landmasses in the ocean, and on clear days the Alaskan coastline and coastal ranges before descending toward California. The Pacific crossing itself is largely open ocean with occasional cloud systems.