About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from San Francisco International (SFO) to Schiphol (AMS)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to Amsterdam. Left side wins both ends of the flight. At takeoff you get the full San Francisco Bay panorama including the Golden Gate and city skyline. On landing into Schiphol you face Amsterdam rather than open farmland. The polar routing over Canada and Greenland offers occasional glacier and icecap views from either side, but neither side has a consistent advantage over the ocean.
What can I see during takeoff from San Francisco International in San Francisco?
During takeoff from San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO typically departs northwest on runways 28L/28R, then turns north over the Bay. Left side gives you San Francisco city, the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate as you climb out over the water. Right side faces the peninsula and suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: San Francisco downtown skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Marin Headlands.
What can I see when landing at Schiphol in Amsterdam?
When landing at Schiphol (AMS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Schiphol most commonly lands from the east on runways 18R/18C or from the southwest on 36C/36R. On the typical easterly approach over the Netherlands, the left side faces south toward Amsterdam city center, the canal ring, and the IJ waterway. Right side looks north toward flat polder farmland with fewer distinguishing features. Notable sights include: Amsterdam canal ring district, IJ waterway, Westpoort industrial harbor, Dutch polder farmland grid.
How long is the flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam?
The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to Schiphol (AMS) takes Approximately 10 to 11 hours.
What does the San Francisco to Amsterdam flight path pass over?
The polar great circle route tracks north over the Sierra Nevada, then crosses the Cascade Range and British Columbia Rockies, continues over the Canadian Arctic with the Baffin Island ice fields visible on clear days, crosses the southern tip of Greenland with its ice sheet and fjords, then tracks over Iceland if routing allows, crosses the Norwegian Sea, and descends over the North Sea toward the Netherlands. The Greenland ice sheet and Baffin Island coastline are the most visually dramatic features en route, visible from either side depending on exact routing.