Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to Delhi. The left side wins overall. The San Francisco Bay departure is one of the most spectacular urban departures in the world. During the transoceanic and Central Asian cruise the views are broadly similar on both sides, but the left side also picks up better views of the Himalayas on the approach corridor into Delhi from the northeast, where peaks including Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges appear on the northern horizon at cruising altitude.

During takeoff from San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO departures on runways 28L/28R head west over the bay before turning northwest. The left side gives you San Francisco Bay, the city skyline, and the Bay Bridge as you climb out. Right side faces south toward the peninsula with less dramatic scenery. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, San Francisco city skyline, Marin Headlands.

When landing at Indira Gandhi International (DEL), sit on the Right side for the best views. IGI Delhi typically uses runways 28/29 for arrivals from the east, meaning aircraft approach from the east heading west. The right side faces north, giving views over Old Delhi, the Red Fort, and the Yamuna River as you descend. The left side faces south toward the less distinctive southern suburbs. Notable sights include: Yamuna River, Red Fort, Connaught Place central district, Old Delhi urban grid.

The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to Indira Gandhi International (DEL) takes Approximately 14 to 16 hours depending on routing and winds.

The polar great-circle route typically tracks northwest over the Pacific, crossing the Aleutian Islands chain, then across the Bering Sea or southern Alaska coast. The flight then crosses Siberia and the vast Central Asian steppe, passing south of the Tian Shan mountain range. On descent into Delhi the southern Himalayan foothills become visible, with the high peaks of the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya appearing on the northern horizon. The Indo-Gangetic Plain is flat and haze-covered on final approach.