Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Chongqing. The left side captures the most dramatic scenery at takeoff — Mount Rainier and the Cascades — and during the transpacific crossing offers views of the Aleutian Island chain and the Kamchatka Peninsula coastline. The right side is better at landing, but the takeoff and en-route scenery on the left is more consistently spectacular over the full journey.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. SEA typically departs north on runways 16L/16R (heading ~160°) or south, but the dominant departure for transpacific routes is often a northward climb then right turn. On a northbound departure, the left side faces west toward Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. On a southbound departure heading 160°, the left side faces east toward Mount Rainier and the Cascades. For this eastbound transpacific routing, aircraft typically depart south or southeast, making the left (east-facing) side the winner for the Cascades. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier (14,411 ft, dominant to the southeast), the Cascade Range ridgeline, Lake Washington to the east of Seattle, Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle skyline.

When landing at Jiangbei (CKG), sit on the Right side for the best views. Chongqing Jiangbei Airport sits north of the city, and aircraft typically approach from the east or northeast on runway 02/20. On a westbound approach heading roughly 220°, the right side faces northwest toward the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers and Chongqing's dramatic hilly urban core. The right seat gives a clear view of the river junction and the densely built hillside city. Notable sights include: Confluence of the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) and Jialing Rivers, Chongqing's hillside urban districts (Yuzhong Peninsula), the terraced karst hills surrounding the city, the broad brown Yangtze River valley.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Jiangbei (CKG) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours nonstop.

The route tracks northwest over British Columbia and the Alaska panhandle, then arcs across the North Pacific following the great circle path over or near the Aleutian Islands chain, crossing the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia with its volcanic peaks, then descending over the Sea of Japan and the Korean Peninsula or Yellow Sea before entering eastern China and tracking inland over Hubei province toward Chongqing