Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Palm Springs to Chicago. The right side wins overall. The takeoff view from PSP on the right is genuinely spectacular — the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, and desert mountain walls are among the most dramatic departure landscapes in the American Southwest. The landing view on the left is excellent for Chicago, but the desert departure scenery edges it out. En route, the right side also catches better views of the Colorado River crossing and portions of the Rockies over Colorado and Utah.

During takeoff from Palm Springs International (PSP), sit on the Right side for the best views. Departing PSP, aircraft typically take off heading east or northeast on runway 31L/13R. A right-side seat gives you a clear view south toward the Santa Rosa Mountains and the dramatic Coachella Valley floor stretching toward the Salton Sea. The valley walls and desert basin are strikingly visible on climb-out. Notable sights include: San Jacinto Peak (10,834 ft) to the west, Salton Sea glinting to the southeast, Coachella Valley agricultural patchwork below, Santa Rosa Mountains ridgeline to the south.

When landing at Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Arriving at O'Hare from the southwest, aircraft typically approach on runways 10L/10R or 28L/28R depending on wind. On a southwest approach, the left side gives you the best view of downtown Chicago's skyline and Lake Michigan as you descend over the western suburbs. The lakefront and the Loop are clearly visible to the left on final approach. Notable sights include: Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower, John Hancock) visible to the southeast, Lake Michigan shoreline, suburban grid of the western Chicago metro, O'Hare's distinctive multi-runway complex.

The flight from Palm Springs International (PSP) to Chicago Ohare International (ORD) takes Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes.

Colorado River crossing near the Arizona-Nevada border, Mojave Desert transitioning to the Colorado Plateau, Rocky Mountain foothills over western Colorado, the flat expanse of the Great Plains beginning over Kansas and Missouri, Mississippi River crossing near the Illinois border before descent into Chicago