Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Fairbanks. The right side wins overall because the takeoff view of Mount Rainier and the Cascades is one of the most dramatic departures in the continental US, and during the flight north the right side tracks closer to the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and the Alaska Range as the route curves northwest. The left side has a slight edge on landing, but the right side delivers more consistently through the full flight.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Right side for the best views. SEA typically departs north on runways 16R/16L (heading ~340°), so a right-side seat faces east toward the Cascade Range. You get a clear view of Mount Rainier dominating the southeast and the Seattle metro sprawl below before the aircraft turns northwest. The right side also captures Lake Washington and the Eastside suburbs as you climb out. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier (southeast), Lake Washington, Cascade Range foothills, Seattle city grid and Elliott Bay.

When landing at Eielson Afb (EIL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Eielson AFB runways are oriented roughly east-west (runway 12/30), and aircraft typically approach from the west or southwest. A left-side seat on approach gives you the Alaska Range to the south including Denali on clear days, and the Tanana River valley spreading out below. The Fairbanks basin and the Chena River are visible on the left as you descend. Notable sights include: Tanana River valley, Alaska Range and Denali (on clear days, ~130 miles south), Chena River, boreal taiga forest stretching to the horizon.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Eielson Afb (EIL) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes depending on winds and routing.

The route passes over the Coast Mountains of British Columbia with heavily glaciated peaks and fjords visible, then crosses the Saint Elias Mountains near the Yukon border — one of the most heavily glaciated non-polar regions on Earth with massive icefields visible from altitude. The Wrangell-St. Elias massif appears to the right as you enter Alaska, followed by the broad Copper River basin and then the Alaska Range before descending into the Tanana Valley.