Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to Reykjavik. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. Over the North Atlantic and Canadian Arctic the views are largely ocean and sea ice regardless of side, but the left seat delivers the superior urban and geographic spectacle at both Seattle departure and Reykjavik arrival.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Left side for the best views. SEA primarily uses runways 16L/16R for southbound departures or 34L/34R for northbound. On a northbound departure toward Iceland, aircraft typically climb out heading north then curve northeast. The left side gives you a clear view of downtown Seattle, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Mountains across Puget Sound. The right side faces east toward the Cascades but you lose the city and water views quickly. Notable sights include: Downtown Seattle skyline and Elliott Bay, Olympic Mountains across Puget Sound, Lake Washington to the east, Mount Rainier to the south on initial climb.

When landing at Reykjavik (RKV), sit on the Left side for the best views. Reykjavik Airport (RKV) sits on the western edge of the city. Arriving from the west over the North Atlantic, aircraft typically approach from the southwest or west. The left side gives you the best view of Reykjavik city, Faxafloi Bay, and the dramatic Snæfellsjökull glacier on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to the north. The right side faces inland toward the lava fields and interior highlands. Notable sights include: Faxafloi Bay and Reykjavik harbor, Snæfellsjökull glacier on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Reykjavik city center and Hallgrimskirkja church, Mount Esja ridge north of the city.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to Reykjavik (RKV) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The great circle route from Seattle to Reykjavik tracks northeast over British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, then over the Hudson Bay region or Baffin Island depending on routing, across the Labrador Sea, and over the southern tip of Greenland's ice sheet before crossing the Denmark Strait to Iceland. Passengers may see the Canadian Rockies early in the flight, vast boreal forest and tundra over northern Canada, sea ice in the Labrador Sea, and the Greenland ice cap — a flat blinding white expanse — before the volcanic terrain of Iceland appears on descent.