Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Francisco to Taipei. Left side wins both ends of the flight. The San Francisco Bay departure is one of the most iconic urban aerial views in the world, and the Taipei approach with the Central Mountain Range as a backdrop is genuinely dramatic. The transpacific cruise at 35,000 feet over open ocean offers little to see on either side regardless.

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 south toward the peninsula suburbs with far less visual interest. Notable sights include: San Francisco downtown skyline, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands.

When landing at Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE), sit on the Left side for the best views. Taoyuan Airport typically lands from the east on runways 05L/05R or from the west on 23L/23R. On the common eastward approach over the Taiwan Strait, the left side faces south toward Taipei city and the central mountain range rising dramatically behind it. Right side faces north toward open water and the less scenic northern coast. Notable sights include: Taipei city basin, Taipei 101 tower, Central Mountain Range, Danshui River estuary.

The flight from San Francisco International (SFO) to Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The great circle route arcs northwest over the North Pacific, passing south of the Aleutian Islands chain, then tracking southwest over the open Pacific toward Japan. The route passes near or over southern Japan, potentially giving brief views of Kyushu or the Ryukyu Islands chain before descending toward Taiwan. The vast majority of the flight is over featureless open ocean with occasional cloud cover.