Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Phoenix to Kahului. Right side wins at both ends of the flight. Over the Pacific mid-flight there is little to differentiate sides, but the right seat delivers Camelback Mountain and the Phoenix basin on departure and the spectacular Haleakala shield volcano on approach into Maui.

During takeoff from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. PHX typically departs westbound on runway 26 or southwest on runway 25L/R, meaning a right-side seat faces north and northwest toward the McDowell Mountains and Scottsdale. You get a clear view of the Phoenix metro grid, Camelback Mountain, and the Salt River corridor as the aircraft banks left toward California. Notable sights include: Camelback Mountain, McDowell Mountains, Salt River bed, Phoenix downtown grid.

When landing at Kahului (OGG), sit on the Right side for the best views. OGG typically lands on runway 02 (heading northeast) or runway 20 (heading southwest). On the more common runway 02 approach from the south, right-side seats face east toward Haleakala volcano, the dominant visual feature of Maui. On runway 20, right side still faces the West Maui Mountains and the Pailolo Channel. Notable sights include: Haleakala volcano summit, West Maui Mountains, Pailolo Channel, Kahului Bay.

The flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) to Kahului (OGG) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes.

After crossing the Colorado River and the Mojave Desert, the flight tracks southwest over the open Pacific Ocean. The California Channel Islands (Catalina, San Clemente) may be briefly visible on the right side early in the overwater segment. The remainder is open ocean with occasional cloud formations until the Hawaiian Islands appear, with Maui's Haleakala and the Big Island's Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa visible on the horizon well before descent.