Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Santiago to Houston. The right side delivers the most spectacular single moment of the flight — the close-up Andes view on departure from Santiago is genuinely world-class and hard to beat. The landing views at IAH on the left are interesting but industrial rather than scenic. Right side wins overall for the Andes alone.

During takeoff from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL), sit on the Right side for the best views. SCL typically departs on runway 17/35, heading north or south. On a northbound departure toward IAH, the aircraft turns right (east) and the right side gets a direct view of the Andes cordillera rising immediately east of Santiago. The snow-capped peaks including Aconcagua and the surrounding high terrain are dramatically close and fill the window. Notable sights include: Andes cordillera with snow-capped peaks, Aconcagua (6,961m) visible to the northeast, Santiago urban grid spread across the valley floor, Cajón del Maipo canyon mouth to the southeast.

When landing at George Bush Intcntl Houston (IAH), sit on the Left side for the best views. IAH typically lands on runways oriented roughly north-south (runways 8L/26R or 15L/33R). On approach from the south, the left side faces east and southeast, giving views over the Houston Ship Channel, Galveston Bay, and the dense petrochemical industrial complex along the channel. This is more visually distinctive than the flat suburban sprawl on the right. Notable sights include: Galveston Bay and its broad shallow waters, Houston Ship Channel with refinery and industrial infrastructure, downtown Houston skyline visible to the southwest, Lake Houston to the northeast.

The flight from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL) to George Bush Intcntl Houston (IAH) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.

The route tracks northwest over the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, one of the driest places on Earth with visually stark salt flats and volcanic peaks visible on clear days. The flight then crosses the Pacific coast of Peru and Ecuador before crossing Colombia and the Caribbean coast of Central America. Over the Gulf of Mexico the terrain gives way to open water for the final 2-3 hours before the flat Texas Gulf Coast comes into view on descent.