Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Taipei to Los Angeles. Right side wins both ends of the flight. At takeoff you get Taiwan's dramatic mountain spine and Taipei city views; at landing you get the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Long Beach harbor, and the LA Basin approach. The transpacific cruise itself is largely featureless ocean on both sides, so the departure and arrival views are the deciding factor.

During takeoff from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE), sit on the Right side for the best views. TPE departures typically use Runway 05L/05R heading northeast, then turn north over the Taiwan Strait. The right side gives you a clear view back over Taipei's urban core and the Central Mountain Range spine running down Taiwan's interior. Left side faces the open Taiwan Strait with little to see. Notable sights include: Taipei Basin and city grid, Yangmingshan volcanic massif to the north, Central Mountain Range peaks including Xueshan range, Taoyuan coastal plain.

When landing at Los Angeles International (LAX), sit on the Right side for the best views. LAX arrivals from the west typically use Runway 24L/24R, approaching from over the Pacific heading east. The right side faces south toward the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Long Beach, and the LA basin sprawl. Left side looks north toward Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Mountains but the right offers the more dramatic coastal geography transition. Notable sights include: Palos Verdes Peninsula cliffs, Long Beach harbor and container port, Los Angeles Basin urban grid, Catalina Island on the horizon to the southwest.

The flight from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE) to Los Angeles International (LAX) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The great circle route from TPE to LAX arcs northeast over the North Pacific, passing south of Japan's Ryukyu Islands chain early in the flight, then tracking across the open North Pacific Ocean for the majority of the route at roughly 40-50 degrees north latitude. The Aleutian Islands chain may be visible as distant dark specks on the horizon if routing passes nearby. The final few hours cross the California coast, with the Sierra Nevada and Transverse Ranges visible before descent into LAX.