Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Santa Ana to Knoxville. While the takeoff offers coastal and mountain views on the left, the landing approach on the right provides more dramatic and sustained scenery—the Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachian terrain are more visually distinctive than the initial Orange County climb-out.

During takeoff from John Wayne Arpt Orange Co (SNA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left seats offer immediate views of the Santa Ana Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains to the northeast as you climb out over Orange County. The Pacific coastline and Catalina Island are also visible to the west on the left side during initial climb. Notable sights include: Santa Ana Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Pacific Ocean coastline, Catalina Island.

When landing at Mc Ghee Tyson (TYS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right seats provide excellent views of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Tennessee Valley as you descend into Knoxville. The French Broad River and the ridgelines of the Appalachian foothills are clearly visible on approach. Notable sights include: Great Smoky Mountains, French Broad River, Appalachian ridgelines, Knoxville urban area.

The flight from John Wayne Arpt Orange Co (SNA) to Mc Ghee Tyson (TYS) takes 4h 25m.

The flight path crosses the Mojave Desert (visible as tan, sparse terrain), then transitions over Arizona's high desert plateau. As you progress eastward, you'll pass near the Colorado Plateau region and eventually enter the Mississippi River valley system before reaching the Appalachian region of Tennessee. The Colorado River, Lake Mead, and various desert mountain ranges are visible in the western portion of the flight.