Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Kahului. The right side wins overall. The Seattle departure on the right delivers the most dramatic urban and mountain scenery of the flight, with the Seattle skyline, Elliott Bay, and the Olympics all in one sweep. The landing view on the left into OGG is excellent, but the departure scenery is richer and more varied. If you must pick one side for the whole flight, right gives you the best of Seattle and a decent view of the Hawaiian Islands on descent.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Right side for the best views. SEA typically departs south on runway 16L/16R, then turns right (west then southwest) toward the Pacific. The right side gives you a clear look at downtown Seattle, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Peninsula before the aircraft heads out over Puget Sound. The left side faces east toward the Cascades but you lose the city quickly. Notable sights include: Downtown Seattle skyline and Elliott Bay, Puget Sound and the Kitsap Peninsula, the Olympic Mountains across the water, Mount Rainier visible to the southeast before the turn.

When landing at Kahului (OGG), sit on the Left side for the best views. OGG runway 02 is the common arrival from the north, meaning the aircraft approaches from the north over the ocean and lands heading roughly northeast. The left side faces northwest toward the West Maui Mountains and the island's dramatic coastline. The right side looks toward the interior of Maui and Haleakala, which is also impressive, but the left gives you the full coastal approach over the ocean with the West Maui Mountains framing the scene. Notable sights include: West Maui Mountains (Mauna Kahalawai) and their deeply eroded ridgelines, Maalaea Bay and the isthmus of Maui, the island of Lanai visible across the Auau Channel, Kahului Harbor and the town below on final.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Kahului (OGG) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The flight tracks southwest over the open North Pacific Ocean for the vast majority of the route. There is no land visible for roughly 2,000 miles of the crossing. As you approach Hawaii, the Big Island of Hawaii may appear on the left horizon before Maui comes into view. The Hawaiian Island chain becomes visible in the final 45-60 minutes, with Oahu, Molokai, and Lanai appearing as low dark silhouettes against the ocean before Maui fills the windward view on descent.