Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Phoenix. The left side delivers the most dramatic single moment of the flight — Mount Rainier on departure is one of the most visually striking views available from any US domestic route. The right side wins at landing, but the Rainier view early in the flight is the highlight overall. If you must pick one side for the whole flight, left gives you Rainier and decent views of the Oregon Cascades en route.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. SEA's primary departure runway 16L/16R sends aircraft southbound, putting the left side facing east toward the Cascades. You get a clear view of Mount Rainier rising to 14,411 ft just 60 miles southeast, plus the urban sprawl of Tacoma and the southern reaches of Puget Sound below. Notable sights include: Mount Rainier, Puget Sound southern arm, Tacoma waterfront, the Cascade Range ridgeline.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. PHX primarily uses runways 26 and 25R for arrivals from the east, meaning aircraft approach from the east heading west. The right side faces north, giving you a clear view over downtown Phoenix, the distinctive flat-topped Camelback Mountain, and the broader Salt River Valley grid as you descend. Notable sights include: Camelback Mountain, downtown Phoenix skyline, Salt River Valley grid, South Mountain Park massif.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.

The flight tracks roughly south-southeast over the Oregon Cascades including Mount Hood and the Three Sisters volcanic peaks visible to the left, then crosses the high desert of central Oregon and Nevada's Basin and Range terrain. Over northern Nevada and into Arizona, the Colorado Plateau's canyon country and the Mogollon Rim escarpment become visible before descending into the Salt River Valley.