Phoenix to Raleigh-Durham flight path: PHX to RDU

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Phoenix to Raleigh-Durham. The left side wins on both ends of the flight — dramatic desert mountains at takeoff from Phoenix and a glimpse of the Raleigh skyline and Falls Lake on arrival — while the right side sees flatter, less distinctive terrain throughout.

During takeoff from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing PHX to the east, the north (left) side offers views of the jagged Superstition Mountains and McDowell Mountains rising sharply from the desert floor, while the right side only shows the more modest South Mountain Park. Notable sights include: Superstition Mountains, McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, Phoenix urban sprawl.

When landing at Raleigh Durham International (RDU), sit on the Left side for the best views. On approach into RDU, arriving aircraft typically loop south before turning onto final for runway 23, giving left-side passengers a view of downtown Raleigh's skyline and the sprawling reservoir of Falls Lake to the north. Notable sights include: Downtown Raleigh skyline, Falls Lake, Piedmont pine forests, Neuse River tributaries.

The flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) to Raleigh Durham International (RDU) takes about 3 hours 50 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 1,886 miles (3,036 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The route crosses the high plains of eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, then the flat farmland of Oklahoma and Arkansas, with the low, forested ridges of the Ozark Mountains occasionally visible to the north before descending into the North Carolina Piedmont.