Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Colombo to Dubai. The right side wins overall because the Colombo coastal departure is genuinely spectacular and hard to beat, and during the cruise the right side also tracks closer to the Indian subcontinent's western coastline — the Kerala and Karnataka coasts are visible in the distance during the early portion of the flight. The left-side Dubai landing advantage is real but shorter in duration.

During takeoff from Colombo Ratmalana (RML), sit on the Right side for the best views. Ratmalana's primary runway 04/22 means northeastward departures swing the aircraft over the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. A right-side seat captures Colombo's urban waterfront, the Beira Lake district, and the Indian Ocean coastline stretching south toward Galle. Left side faces inland toward suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Colombo city centre and port, Beira Lake, the southwestern Sri Lankan coastline, Colombo Harbour breakwater.

When landing at Dubai International (DXB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dubai International's primary arrival runway 30L/30R brings aircraft in from the southeast over the city. A left-side seat on approach gives a clear view of Dubai Creek, Deira's dense urban grid, and the older port districts. Right side faces the desert hinterland and industrial zones east of the airport. Notable sights include: Dubai Creek and Deira district, Dubai city skyline on the horizon, the Arabian Gulf coastline, Port Rashid area.

The flight from Colombo Ratmalana (RML) to Dubai International (DXB) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes.

After departing Sri Lanka, the flight crosses the Lakshadweep Sea and then the Arabian Sea. The western coast of India (Kerala, then Karnataka and Goa) is visible to the right side during the first hour at cruise altitude. The Lakshadweep island chain may be faintly visible as small atolls far below. The flight then crosses the open Arabian Sea for roughly two hours with no land features. The Omani coastline and the Gulf of Oman appear before descent into Dubai, with the Hajar Mountains of Oman visible as a rugged brown range to the right side before the aircraft crosses into UAE airspace.