Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from St. Louis to Phoenix. The left side wins at takeoff for the St. Louis riverscape and Arch, but the right side delivers the more sustained and dramatic scenery across the full flight — the Ozark hills of Missouri and Arkansas, the Oklahoma and Texas panhandle plains, and then the spectacular desert mountain terrain on approach into Phoenix. The Superstition Mountains and South Mountain on final are genuinely impressive.

During takeoff from Lambert St Louis International (STL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Lambert typically departs westbound on runway 12L/30R or 11/29, and climbing out heading west-southwest, the left side gives a clear view back over the St. Louis metro, the Gateway Arch, and the Mississippi River snaking southward. The right side faces north toward suburban sprawl with little of interest. Notable sights include: Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis skyline, Mississippi River confluence with the Missouri River to the north, Forest Park and the broader St. Louis grid, East St. Louis floodplain across the river.

When landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), sit on the Right side for the best views. Phoenix Sky Harbor sits just east of downtown Phoenix, and aircraft typically approach from the east on runway 26 or 25L/R heading westbound. On the right side you get a sustained view of the Superstition Mountains, South Mountain Park, and the Phoenix metro grid spreading across the Valley of the Sun. The left side faces north toward Scottsdale and the McDowell Mountains but misses the more dramatic southern terrain. Notable sights include: Superstition Mountains to the east, South Mountain Park and its ridgeline south of the city, Phoenix downtown skyline and the Salt River channel, Camelback Mountain rising distinctly from the valley floor.

The flight from Lambert St Louis International (STL) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) takes Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

The flight tracks southwest over the Ozark Plateau of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, then crosses the flat Oklahoma plains and the Texas panhandle. Over eastern New Mexico the terrain rises onto the high desert plateau around 5,000 feet elevation. The flight then crosses the White Mountains and Mogollon Rim of eastern Arizona before descending into the Salt River Valley. The transition from flat plains to Basin and Range desert topography in New Mexico and Arizona is the most visually striking portion of the cruise phase.