Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Sydney to Taipei. The left side wins on both ends: Sydney Harbour's iconic skyline at departure and Taipei's mountain-framed urban approach at arrival, while the right side spends the entire flight over featureless ocean and the South China Sea with minimal takeoff/landing compensation.

During takeoff from Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing Sydney to the north, left-side passengers get a clear view of Sydney Harbour, the CBD skyline, and the northern beaches coastline as the plane climbs out. This is one of the most recognizable harbor cities in the world from the air. Notable sights include: Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Sydney CBD skyline, northern beaches coastline.

When landing at Sungshan (TSA), sit on the Left side for the best views. Arriving into Taipei Songshan, the approach typically comes in from the north or east over the Taipei Basin, giving left-side passengers views of the mountainous ridges surrounding the city and the Keelung River winding through the urban landscape. Sungshan's close-in urban approach reveals dense high-rise clusters against a mountain backdrop. Notable sights include: Taipei 101, Keelung River, Yangmingshan mountain ridges, Taipei Basin urban sprawl.

The flight from Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) to Sungshan (TSA) takes 9h 10m.

The route crosses the Coral Sea, passes near Papua New Guinea and the Philippines' eastern coastline, then continues over the Luzon Strait before reaching Taiwan — almost entirely open ocean with few visible landmarks at cruise altitude.