Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Taipei to Istanbul. The right side wins overall. While the left side has a slight edge at Taipei departure, the right side delivers the dramatic Bosphorus and Istanbul approach which is one of the great urban aerial arrivals in the world. Mid-flight over Central Asia the right side also faces south toward the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau on the early portion of the route.

During takeoff from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE), sit on the Left side for the best views. TPE's runways 05/23 and 06/24 mean most departures head northeast or northwest. A left-side seat on a westbound departure gives you views over Taipei city and the northern Taiwan mountains. The Datun volcanic group and Yangmingshan National Park are clearly visible to the north of the airport on climb-out. Notable sights include: Yangmingshan/Datun volcanic hills to the north, Taipei Basin and city grid, Tamsui River estuary meeting the Taiwan Strait, northern Taiwan coastline.

When landing at Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. Ataturk Airport's primary runway 06/24 means arrivals from the east typically land heading west on runway 24. A right-side seat on this approach gives views over the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus strait, and the historic Istanbul peninsula. The Golden Horn and the dense skyline of old Istanbul with its mosques are visible on the right during final approach. Notable sights include: Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus strait, historic Istanbul peninsula with Sultanahmet district, Prince's Islands (Adalar) in the Marmara.

The flight from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE) to Ataturk (IST) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours nonstop.

The route tracks northwest from Taiwan across southern China, then over the Sichuan Basin and into Central Asia crossing Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, before descending over the Caucasus region and Black Sea into Turkey. Notable features include the Tibetan Plateau and Kunlun Mountains visible to the south in the early portion, the vast flat steppe of Kazakhstan at cruise altitude, the Caspian Sea crossing, and the Caucasus mountain range before the Black Sea descent into Istanbul.