Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to Santiago. While the takeoff offers excellent bay views, the landing provides more sustained and dramatic scenery. The Andes approach is visually striking and occupies a longer portion of the descent. Right seats capture the mountain approach better than left seats, which face away toward the Pacific.

During takeoff from San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left seats face west and northwest during initial climb, giving direct views of the San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands. Right seats turn away from the bay toward inland terrain. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay (immediate foreground), Golden Gate Bridge (spanning the Golden Gate strait), Marin Headlands (north of the bridge), Pacific Ocean (western horizon).

When landing at Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right seats face east during approach to Santiago, offering views of the Andes Mountains as they rise dramatically from the Central Valley. The approach path descends over the foothills and valley floor, making the eastern mountain wall the dominant scenic feature. Notable sights include: Andes Mountains (eastern horizon and middle distance), Central Valley of Chile (foreground and middle ground), Maipo River valley (visible as a linear feature through the valley), Santiago city sprawl (western side of approach corridor).

The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to Arturo Merino Benitez International (SCL) takes Approximately 10 hours 15 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes.

The flight path crosses the Pacific Ocean for roughly 8 hours with no significant landmarks visible—only open ocean. As the aircraft approaches the South American coast near central Chile (around 6-7 hours into flight), the Atacama Desert becomes visible as an arid, tan-colored landscape. The Andes Mountains gradually appear on the eastern horizon as the aircraft descends toward Santiago. The Humboldt Current's cold waters may create visible cloud patterns along the Chilean coast during approach.