About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Buttonville Muni (YKZ) to New Tokyo International (NRT)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Toronto to Tokyo. Left side wins both ends of the flight. During the transpacific cruise at 35,000 feet over the Aleutian arc and the North Pacific, neither side offers dramatic visual advantage, but the left side catches the southern coastline of Alaska and the Kamchatka Peninsula as distant landmasses on the horizon during the polar-adjacent routing.
What can I see during takeoff from Buttonville Muni in Toronto?
During takeoff from Buttonville Muni (YKZ), sit on the Left side for the best views. Buttonville's primary runway 15/33 means departures heading north (runway 33) put the left side facing west toward Toronto's downtown skyline and Lake Ontario. The CN Tower and the dense urban core are clearly visible to the southwest as you climb out over the northern suburbs. Notable sights include: Toronto downtown skyline with CN Tower, Lake Ontario shoreline, Don Valley ravine system, York Region suburban grid.
What can I see when landing at New Tokyo International in Tokyo?
When landing at New Tokyo International (NRT), sit on the Left side for the best views. NRT's runways 16/34 and 34L/R mean most arrivals come from the north or northwest, putting the left side facing east and south over Tokyo Bay and the dense urban sprawl of the Kanto Plain. You get a broad view of central Tokyo, the bay, and the approach over Chiba Prefecture. Notable sights include: Tokyo Bay, central Tokyo urban grid, Mount Fuji on the western horizon (weather permitting), Chiba coastal lowlands.
How long is the flight from Toronto to Tokyo?
The flight from Buttonville Muni (YKZ) to New Tokyo International (NRT) takes Approximately 13 to 14 hours nonstop, though YKZ is a general aviation airport and this route would realistically operate via YYZ; a charter or private flight would follow a great circle routing over northern Canada and the North Pacific.
What does the Toronto to Tokyo flight path pass over?
Great circle routing takes the flight over Hudson Bay, northern Quebec, the southern tip of Baffin Island, across the North Pacific near the Aleutian Island chain, over the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, then descending across Hokkaido and Honshu into the Kanto Plain. The Aleutians appear as a curved chain of volcanic islands in the grey North Pacific, and Kamchatka shows snow-covered volcanic peaks visible from altitude on clear days.