Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Santiago to Chicago. The Andes departure on the right side is one of the most dramatic mountain views available on any commercial route — the sheer scale and proximity of the cordillera during climb-out is exceptional. The Chicago arrival on the left is good but relatively brief. Right side wins overall for the sustained Andes views early in the flight.

During takeoff from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL), sit on the Right side for the best views. SCL's primary departure runway 17R sends aircraft southward before turning north, and the right side faces west toward the Andes. As the aircraft climbs and banks north, the right side gets a prolonged view of the Andes cordillera rising dramatically above the Santiago basin, including the snow-capped peaks directly east of the city. Notable sights include: Cerro El Plomo (5,424m), Tupungato volcano (6,570m), the Santiago metropolitan sprawl in the Maipo Valley, the Aconcagua massif visible to the north as the aircraft tracks northward.

When landing at Chicago Ohare International (ORD), sit on the Left side for the best views. ORD primarily uses runways oriented east-west and northwest-southeast. Approaches from the south on runways 10L/10R or 28L/28R put Lake Michigan on the left side, with the Chicago downtown skyline visible to the left during the final approach arc. The left seat gets the iconic lakefront view. Notable sights include: Lake Michigan shoreline, Chicago downtown skyline (Willis Tower, John Hancock), the Chicago River grid visible below, O'Hare's runway complex spreading ahead.

The flight from Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL) to Chicago Ohare International (ORD) takes Approximately 13 to 14 hours.

The route tracks north through the Atacama Desert over Peru and Ecuador, crosses the Caribbean Sea near Colombia and Venezuela, transits Central America and the Gulf of Mexico, then enters the US over Texas or Louisiana before tracking northeast across the Mississippi River valley and Great Lakes region toward Chicago. The Amazon basin may be visible on the eastern horizon in the early portion of the flight. The Gulf of Mexico crossing offers open water views for an extended period.