Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Shanghai to Vancouver. While takeoff offers good Shanghai urban views on the right, the landing approach over the Strait of Georgia with the dramatic North Shore Mountains provides more visually distinctive geography. The mountain scenery on final approach is more memorable than the flat delta departure.

During takeoff from Hongqiao International (SHA), sit on the Right side for the best views. Hongqiao typically departs runways 06 or 08 heading northeast. Right-side seats face the Huangpu River bend and Pudong's skyline as you climb out, with clear views of the urban sprawl transitioning to water and wetlands. Notable sights include: Huangpu River (immediate foreground curving southeast), Pudong financial district skyline (left-center), Dianshan Lake (appearing as a large water body to the north as altitude increases), Shanghai's suburban grid extending northeast toward Jiangsu Province.

When landing at Vancouver International (YVR), sit on the Left side for the best views. Vancouver typically lands on runways 26L or 26R heading west toward the mountains. Left-side seats provide the best view of the North Shore Mountains (Grouse, Seymour, Cypress) and the descent path over the Strait of Georgia with the city and airport visible below. Notable sights include: North Shore Mountains (Grouse, Seymour, Cypress peaks visible on the horizon), Strait of Georgia (water body beneath the approach), Vancouver city skyline and downtown core (visible to the south during descent), Vancouver International Airport runways and taxiways (visible in final approach).

The flight from Hongqiao International (SHA) to Vancouver International (YVR) takes Approximately 11-12 hours.

The flight path crosses the North Pacific, passing south of the Aleutian Islands (not visible at cruise altitude), over open ocean for the majority of the journey. At cruise altitude (35,000-37,000 feet), passengers may see the curvature of the Earth and aurora displays during winter months, but no significant land features. The route generally follows a great circle path northwest from Shanghai, then curves southwest toward Vancouver. Approaching North America, the Rocky Mountains become visible on the eastern horizon approximately 90 minutes before landing, with the Cascade Range and Pacific coastal ranges becoming more prominent as the aircraft descends toward British Columbia.