Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to Miami. The right side wins overall because the Miami arrival delivers a spectacular and sustained view of Biscayne Bay, the downtown skyline, and Miami Beach that is hard to beat. The left side at SFO departure is excellent but shorter in duration. Across the cruise portion heading southeast, the right side also picks up Gulf Coast views over Florida.

During takeoff from San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO typically departs south on runways 28L/28R heading west then turning southeast. A left window seat gives you San Francisco Bay, the city skyline, and the Bay Bridge as you climb out over the peninsula. The right side faces the Pacific and suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, San Francisco city skyline, San Mateo Bridge.

When landing at Miami International (MIA), sit on the Right side for the best views. MIA typically lands on runways 08R/08L or 12, approaching from the west or northwest over the Everglades. A right window seat gives you the Miami skyline, Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach, and the Atlantic as you descend. The left side faces the Everglades wetlands. Notable sights include: Miami downtown skyline, Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach barrier island, Port of Miami.

The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to Miami International (MIA) takes Approximately 5 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 45 minutes.

The route tracks southeast over the Sierra Nevada, then across the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert of Arizona, over New Mexico and Texas including the Rio Grande valley, then across the Gulf Coast lowlands of Louisiana and Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle, and finally down the Florida Peninsula over the Everglades before reaching Miami.