Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles. Right side wins both the departure over Ho Chi Minh City and the arrival into LAX with the Santa Monica Bay view. Over the Pacific the views are largely featureless ocean on both sides, so the departure and arrival sequences are the deciding factor, and right side delivers on both ends.

During takeoff from Tansonnhat International (SGN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Tan Son Nhat primarily uses runways 07L/07R and 25L/25R. Departures heading northeast toward the Pacific typically climb out over the eastern side of Ho Chi Minh City. The right side gives you a clear view over the dense urban grid of District 1 and the Saigon River snaking southward, while the left side faces the less interesting western suburbs and industrial zones. Notable sights include: Saigon River bends through the city, District 1 skyline with Bitexco Financial Tower, Nhon Trach industrial corridor to the east, Dong Nai River confluence to the northeast.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX approaches from the east on runways 24L/24R or from the west on runways 06L/06R. The dominant approach is from the east heading west over the Los Angeles Basin. On the right side you get the Santa Monica Bay coastline, Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the Pacific Ocean opening up ahead — the most dramatic visual sequence of the approach. The left side faces inland toward the San Gabriel Valley and is comparatively unremarkable. Notable sights include: Santa Monica Bay and Pacific Ocean, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Marina del Rey harbor, Los Angeles Basin urban grid stretching to the San Gabriel Mountains on the horizon.

The flight from Tansonnhat International (SGN) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 17 to 18.5 hours nonstop depending on winds and routing.

The great circle route from SGN to LAX tracks northeast over the South China Sea, crosses the Philippine archipelago including Luzon and the Visayas, then arcs across the vast North Pacific. The route passes south of Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, then crosses the dateline roughly at 30N latitude. The final third of the flight crosses the open North Pacific before making landfall near the California coast north of San Francisco, then tracking south along the Central Valley and Coast Ranges toward Los Angeles. Midpoint is somewhere over the open North Pacific around 40-45N, 170-180E, with nothing but ocean in all directions.