Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Santiago to Paris. The right side wins overall because the Andes departure view is one of the most dramatic in commercial aviation — a wall of 5,000-7,000m peaks seen up close during climb. The Paris arrival on the left is excellent but the Andes experience is rarer and more visually spectacular. On the long Atlantic crossing, neither side has a meaningful advantage.

During takeoff from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL), sit on the Right side for the best views. SCL's primary departure runway 17/35 means northbound departures on runway 35 give the right side a direct view of the Andes cordillera to the east. The right side sees the full wall of the Andes including Aconcagua and surrounding peaks as the aircraft climbs and turns. The left side faces west toward the flat coastal plain and Pacific Ocean. Notable sights include: Aconcagua (6,961m, highest peak in the Americas visible as a dominant snow-capped massif), the Santiago metropolitan valley and urban grid below, the Maipo and Mapocho river valleys cutting through the Andean foothills, the snow-covered central Andes ridgeline stretching north-south.

When landing at Charles De Gaulle (CDG), sit on the Left side for the best views. CDG's most common landing approaches on runways 26L/26R (westbound approaches) bring aircraft in from the east over the Paris basin. The left side faces south, giving views of central Paris including the Seine river, Eiffel Tower, and the city center as the aircraft descends. The right side faces north toward less distinctive suburban and agricultural terrain. Notable sights include: The Seine river snaking through central Paris visible as a silver ribbon, the Eiffel Tower identifiable as a thin dark spire near the river bend, the dense Haussmann-era urban grid of central Paris, the Bois de Boulogne as a large rectangular green patch on the western edge of the city.

The flight from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL) to Charles De Gaulle (CDG) takes Approximately 14 to 15 hours depending on routing and winds.

The route typically tracks northeast from Santiago, crossing the Andes into Argentina, then over the South Atlantic toward West Africa. The flight passes over or near the Brazilian coast around Recife, crosses the equatorial Atlantic, may pass near the Cape Verde Islands or Canary Islands depending on routing, then crosses the Iberian Peninsula over Spain before entering France from the southwest. The Atlantic crossing offers no land features for many hours. The Canary Islands may be briefly visible if routing passes within range. The Spanish meseta and Pyrenees are visible on descent into France.