Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Seattle to San Francisco. The left side wins overall because the SFO approach over San Francisco Bay is one of the most iconic urban water approaches in the US, and the left side also captures the Cascades and Mount Rainier during the mid-flight cruise southward along the Washington-Oregon corridor. The right side at takeoff is excellent but the left side's mid-flight and landing views edge it out.

During takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA), sit on the Right side for the best views. SEA primarily uses runways 16L/16R for southbound departures, meaning the aircraft heads south and then turns. The right side gives you a clear view of downtown Seattle, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Peninsula across Puget Sound. The left side faces east toward the Cascades but is partially obscured during the initial climb-out over suburban Tukwila. Notable sights include: Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle skyline, Puget Sound, Olympic Peninsula mountains, Vashon Island.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO's runways 28L/28R are the dominant landing configuration, with aircraft approaching from the east over the Bay. On left side you get a prolonged view of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the San Francisco peninsula as the aircraft descends over the East Bay. The right side faces south toward the peninsula suburbs with less dramatic scenery. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, San Francisco city skyline, Alcatraz Island.

The flight from Seattle Tacoma International (SEA) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks roughly south along the I-5 corridor. Over Washington you pass east of the Cascades with Mount Rainier visible to the left at around 14,411 feet. Crossing into Oregon the Columbia River valley is visible, then the flight passes over the Willamette Valley with Portland's metro area visible. Over northern California the Sacramento Valley opens up — a broad flat agricultural plain — before the aircraft begins descent toward the Bay Area. Mount Shasta at 14,179 feet may be visible to the left on clear days as a prominent isolated volcanic cone well east of the flight path.