Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Taipei to San Jose. Right-side seats provide superior scenery for the majority of the flight. The takeoff over Taiwan's dramatic northern coastline and the Pacific crossing offer more visually distinctive features than the landing approach, which, while scenic, is relatively brief and focused on suburban sprawl.

During takeoff from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right-side seats capture the dramatic climb-out over northern Taiwan's coastline and the Taipei Basin. You'll see the city sprawl give way to the Tamsui River estuary and the northern coast as the aircraft banks eastward over the Pacific. Notable sights include: Taipei city grid and urban sprawl, Tamsui River estuary with its distinctive curved mouth, northern Taiwan coastline, Yangmingshan volcanic plateau to the northwest.

When landing at Norman Y Mineta San Jose International (SJC), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left-side seats offer the best views during the descent into San Jose. You'll see the San Francisco Bay's eastern shoreline, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Santa Clara Valley's urban grid as the aircraft descends on its final approach from the northwest. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay's eastern shore and salt ponds, Santa Cruz Mountains running north-south, Santa Clara Valley urban sprawl, San Jose city center.

The flight from Chiang Kai Shek International (TPE) to Norman Y Mineta San Jose International (SJC) takes Approximately 11-12 hours.

The flight path crosses the Pacific Ocean for roughly 5,000 miles with minimal visible landmarks. Early in the flight, you may glimpse the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa region) far to the south if flying a southern routing. The vast majority of the mid-Pacific crossing offers only open ocean, occasional cloud formations, and the curvature of the Earth at cruise altitude. As the aircraft approaches North America, the Hawaiian Islands may be visible far to the south depending on routing. The final approach into California reveals the Sierra Nevada mountains inland and the coastal ranges as the aircraft descends toward the San Francisco Bay Area.