Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to New York. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. Over the Rockies and Great Plains the views are similar on both sides, but the San Francisco Bay departure and the Manhattan approach on final make left the clear choice for the highlights of this route.

During takeoff from San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO typically departs westward over the Bay on runways 28L/28R, then turns north or northeast. Left side gives you San Francisco city, the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate as you climb and bank. Right side faces south toward the peninsula suburbs with less to see. Notable sights include: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, Marin Headlands.

When landing at La Guardia (LGA), sit on the Left side for the best views. LGA sits on the north shore of Queens, and aircraft typically approach from the northeast over Long Island Sound on runway 04, or from the south on runway 22. On the common northeast approach, the left side faces Manhattan directly — you get the full skyline head-on as you descend over Flushing Bay. Right side faces Queens residential neighborhoods. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline, East River, Rikers Island, Flushing Bay.

The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to La Guardia (LGA) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes.

Sierra Nevada mountains (visible shortly after departure), Great Basin desert of Nevada and Utah, Rocky Mountains crossing over Colorado or Wyoming depending on routing, the flat expanse of the Great Plains over Nebraska and Iowa, then the Great Lakes region or Ohio Valley, and the Appalachian ridges of Pennsylvania before descending into the New York metro area