Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Singapore to Xiamen. The left side wins overall because the Xiamen landing view is the most dramatic and distinctive moment of the flight — Gulangyu Island, the harbor bridges, and the city laid out below on approach are genuinely spectacular. The takeoff right-side advantage is real but Singapore's skyline is widely seen; the Xiamen harbor approach is less commonly appreciated.

During takeoff from Singapore Changi (SIN), sit on the Right side for the best views. Changi typically departs westbound on runway 02L/20R or 02C/20C. A northbound departure gives the right side views over the city center, Marina Bay, and the southern islands. You get the Singapore skyline, the reservoir system, and the Strait of Malacca opening up as the aircraft banks north. Notable sights include: Marina Bay Sands and CBD skyline, Sentosa Island and Keppel Harbour, Southern Islands (St John's, Lazarus), Johor Strait and southern Malaysia coastline.

When landing at Gaoqi (XMN), sit on the Left side for the best views. Xiamen Gaoqi Airport sits on the north shore of Xiamen Island. Arrivals typically come in from the northeast or east over the Taiwan Strait, landing westbound. The left side gives you the view south over Xiamen Island, the harbor, Gulangyu Island, and the dramatic coastline, while the right side faces open water. Notable sights include: Xiamen Island urban core and harbor, Gulangyu Island (small island southwest of city center), Xiamen Bridge and Haicang Bridge spanning the harbor, Jiulong River estuary to the southwest.

The flight from Singapore Changi (SIN) to Gaoqi (XMN) takes Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours.

The route tracks north-northeast over the South China Sea, crossing the southern tip of Vietnam near Ho Chi Minh City, then over the Gulf of Tonkin and the Vietnamese and Chinese coastlines of Guangdong province. The Pearl River Delta and Hong Kong area pass to the left side roughly 45-60 minutes before landing. The South China Sea below is open ocean for much of the cruise phase with occasional island chains of the Paracel Islands visible in good visibility.