Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Jose to Washington. The right side delivers the dramatic volcanic scenery of Costa Rica's Central Valley on departure, which is genuinely spectacular and unique. The left side has the edge on landing into Dulles, but the DC approach view, while rewarding, is more familiar. The volcanic departure scenery tips the balance to the right side overall.

During takeoff from Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Right side for the best views. SJO's primary departure runway is 07, meaning aircraft climb out heading northeast. A right-side seat faces north, giving you a clear view of the Cordillera Central including Poás and Barva volcanoes rising above the Central Valley. The urban sprawl of San José and Heredia spread out below before the terrain drops toward the Caribbean lowlands. Notable sights include: Poás Volcano (2,708m), Barva Volcano, Central Valley urban corridor, Cordillera Central ridge.

When landing at Washington Dulles International (IAD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dulles typically uses runways 01L/01R or 19L/19R depending on wind. On a southerly approach to runway 19, aircraft track from the northwest over northern Virginia, and the left side faces east toward the Potomac River, the Washington DC skyline, and the National Mall corridor. The Capitol dome and Washington Monument are genuinely visible on clear days during the descent. Notable sights include: Potomac River, Washington DC skyline and National Mall, Tysons Corner urban cluster, Blue Ridge Mountains on the western horizon.

The flight from Juan Santamaria International (SJO) to Washington Dulles International (IAD) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The flight tracks north-northwest over Nicaragua's Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua (the largest lake in Central America, clearly visible), then over Honduras and Guatemala's mountainous interior, across the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico, over Cuba's western tip or the Florida Straits, then up the Florida peninsula or over open Atlantic depending on routing, before crossing the Carolinas and Virginia into Dulles.