Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Vancouver to San Francisco. Left side wins both departure and arrival. During the flight itself, the left side also tracks closer to the Cascade Range and the Oregon coast ranges as the route heads south, offering occasional mountain views on clear days. Right side is mostly open Pacific Ocean for the bulk of the cruise.

During takeoff from Vancouver International (YVR), sit on the Left side for the best views. YVR's primary departure runway 26L sends aircraft westward over the Fraser River delta before turning south. The left side faces north toward the city of Vancouver, the North Shore Mountains, and Burrard Inlet as you climb out, giving a sweeping panorama of the entire metro area. Notable sights include: North Shore Mountains (Grouse, Seymour, Cypress), Burrard Inlet, downtown Vancouver skyline, Fraser River delta wetlands.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO's typical arrival on runways 28L/28R brings aircraft in from the east over the Bay. The left side faces south toward the San Francisco Peninsula, giving views of the city, the Bay Bridge, and the downtown skyline on final approach. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, San Francisco downtown skyline, Bay Bridge, San Mateo Bridge.

The flight from Vancouver International (YVR) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

The route passes over the Cascade Range foothills in Washington state, then tracks south over the Willamette Valley in Oregon with the Oregon Coast Range to the right and the Cascades to the left. Mount Rainier may be visible to the left shortly after departure on clear days as a distant snow-capped peak. The route then crosses into northern California over the Klamath Mountains before descending toward the Bay Area.