Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Shanghai to Seoul. While takeoff favors the right for Shanghai's river views, the landing approach into Incheon is longer and more visually rewarding on the left, featuring the Incheon Bridge and Yellow Sea coastline. Left seats win overall for this route.

During takeoff from Hongqiao International (SHA), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats capture the Huangpu River's distinctive curves through central Shanghai during northbound climb-out, plus the East China Sea coastline. Left side faces inland urban sprawl with less geographic definition. Notable sights include: Huangpu River (meandering through Pudong and Puxi districts), East China Sea coastline, Hangzhou Bay to the south, urban Shanghai grid.

When landing at Incheon International (ICN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left seats offer superior views during the standard southbound approach into Incheon. You'll see the Yellow Sea, Gyeonggi Bay's complex coastline, and the Incheon Bridge spanning across the approach path. Right side faces inland Korean peninsula terrain with less distinctive features. Notable sights include: Incheon Bridge (long suspension bridge crossing Gyeonggi Bay), Yellow Sea, Gyeonggi Bay's tidal mudflats and islands, Korean peninsula's western coastal plain.

The flight from Hongqiao International (SHA) to Incheon International (ICN) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path crosses the Yellow Sea northwestward. Notable features include the Shandong Peninsula's eastern tip (visible to the left/west around cruise altitude), the transition from Chinese to Korean airspace over open water, and the gradual appearance of South Korea's western coastline including Taean Peninsula and Gyeonggi Bay's approach zone. No major mountain ranges are visible at cruise altitude; the route is primarily over water and low coastal plains.