Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Jose to Atlanta. The left side delivers the most dramatic scenery of the flight — the volcanic Cordillera Central on departure is genuinely spectacular and unique. The right side wins at landing but the Atlanta approach is relatively flat suburban terrain. The volcanic highlands of Costa Rica on the left at takeoff outweigh the Atlanta skyline glimpse on the right.

During takeoff from Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Juan Santamaría airport sits in the Central Valley and typically departs runway 07 heading northeast, then turns north. The left side gives you the Cordillera Central including Volcán Poás and Volcán Barva as you climb out over the valley. The right side faces south toward the city sprawl and lower terrain. Notable sights include: Volcán Poás (2,708m), Volcán Barva, the Central Valley urban corridor of San José below, and the green ridgelines of the Cordillera Central.

When landing at The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL), sit on the Right side for the best views. Hartsfield-Jackson typically lands from the east or northeast on runways oriented roughly 08L/R or 09L/R, meaning the approach comes from the east over the Atlanta suburbs. The right side on final approach gives a clear view of downtown Atlanta's skyline to the north as you descend over the southern suburbs. Notable sights include: Downtown Atlanta skyline (Peachtree Street towers), Stone Mountain visible to the northeast on clear days, the sprawling I-285 perimeter highway interchange network, and the massive Hartsfield terminal complex coming into view on final.

The flight from Juan Santamaria International (SJO) to The William B Hartsfield Atlanta International (ATL) takes Approximately 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes.

The flight tracks north-northwest over Nicaragua's Lake Nicaragua (Lago de Nicaragua, one of the largest lakes in Central America and clearly visible from altitude), then over Honduras and Guatemala's mountainous interior, across the Yucatán Peninsula or Gulf of Honduras depending on routing, over the Gulf of Mexico or Cuba, then across the Florida Straits and up through Florida and Georgia. The Sierra Madre of Guatemala and the volcanic chain of Central America may be visible on the left side during the early portion of the flight.