Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Istanbul. The right side wins at takeoff for the Saigon River and Mekong Delta views, but the left side delivers the more spectacular payoff on landing with the Bosphorus, Sultanahmet, and the Golden Horn. During the long cruise, the left side also faces generally south toward the Bay of Bengal coast of India and the Arabian Sea, while the right faces north. Neither side has a decisive mid-flight advantage, so the Istanbul arrival view tips the balance to the left.

During takeoff from Tansonnhat International (SGN), sit on the Right side for the best views. SGN's primary departure runway 25L/25R sends aircraft westward over the city before turning northwest. The right side faces south and gives a clear view over central Ho Chi Minh City's dense urban grid, the Saigon River snaking through District 1, and the broader Mekong Delta flatlands stretching to the horizon. The left side faces north toward industrial suburbs with less visual interest. Notable sights include: Saigon River bending through District 1, Mekong Delta patchwork of rice paddies and waterways to the southwest, Bien Hoa urban sprawl to the northeast visible from the left, Thu Thiem peninsula loop in the river.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. Ataturk Airport's primary landing approach from the east on runway 06 brings aircraft in over the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus. The left side faces north and delivers a direct view of the Bosphorus strait, the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia visible, and the Golden Horn inlet. The right side faces south over the open Marmara with less landmark density. Notable sights include: Bosphorus strait connecting Marmara to Black Sea, Sultanahmet historic peninsula with Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia domes, Golden Horn inlet splitting the European city, Galata Bridge and Karakoy waterfront.

The flight from Tansonnhat International (SGN) to Ataturk (IST) takes Approximately 10 to 11 hours nonstop.

The route tracks northwest from Ho Chi Minh City across southern Vietnam and Cambodia, then over the Bay of Bengal, crossing the Indian subcontinent roughly over central India and Rajasthan, continuing over Pakistan and Afghanistan, crossing Iran's central plateau and the Zagros Mountains, then over eastern Turkey before descending into Istanbul. Notable features include the Bay of Bengal coastline, the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, the Hindu Kush and Zagros mountain ranges visible as wrinkled terrain below, and the Anatolian plateau of central Turkey.