Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Roanoke to Chicago. While the takeoff offers mountain scenery, the landing provides more dramatic and recognizable urban landmarks. Right-side seats capture both the scenic approach over Lake Michigan and Chicago's iconic skyline, making the overall journey more visually rewarding.

During takeoff from Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side captures the Blue Ridge Mountains immediately west of Roanoke during climb-out. The ridge runs roughly north-south and dominates the western horizon, providing dramatic elevation contrast against the Roanoke Valley floor. Notable sights include: Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke Valley, Smith Mountain Lake (visible to the south), Catawba Mountain ridge.

When landing at Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side offers views of Lake Michigan and Chicago's downtown skyline during approach from the east. The lake's massive expanse and the distinctive grid of high-rises along the shoreline are unmistakable landmarks during descent into ORD. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan, Chicago downtown skyline and Willis Tower, Chicago River, Grant Park lakefront.

The flight from Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) to Chicago Ohare International (ORD) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses the Appalachian plateau and transitions into the Ohio River valley. Notable features include the ridge-and-valley topography of eastern Kentucky and West Virginia (visible as parallel ridges running northeast-southwest), the Ohio River itself winding through the landscape around Cincinnati, and the transition from forested Appalachia into the flatter agricultural lands of Indiana and Illinois. The terrain gradually flattens significantly west of the Ohio River.