Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Zurich to Lisbon. The Lisbon arrival on the right side delivers the most dramatic single view of the flight — the Tagus estuary and Atlantic coast on approach are genuinely spectacular. During the cruise, the right side also picks up the Spanish meseta and glimpses of the Portuguese coast as you descend. The left side at Zurich departure is excellent but shorter-lived.

During takeoff from Zurich (ZRH), sit on the Left side for the best views. Zurich typically departs on runway 16 heading south or runway 28 heading west. On a southwesterly departure toward Lisbon, the left side gives you the city of Zurich, Lake Zurich stretching southeast, and the Glarus Alps rising beyond. The right side faces north toward flatter terrain and the Rhine plain. Notable sights include: Lake Zurich, Zurich city center, Glarus Alps, Uetliberg ridge.

When landing at Lisboa (LIS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Lisbon typically lands on runway 03 heading northeast or runway 21 heading southwest. On approach from the northeast, the right side faces west over the Tagus estuary and the Atlantic coast, giving you the wide mouth of the Rio Tejo, the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge, and the Atlantic shoreline. The left side looks inland toward less distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: Rio Tejo estuary, Ponte 25 de Abril, Atlantic coastline, Lisbon city waterfront.

The flight from Zurich (ZRH) to Lisboa (LIS) takes Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.

The route crosses the Swiss Plateau, then the French Massif Central (visible as rolling uplands), the Pyrenees may appear on the horizon depending on exact routing, followed by the flat Spanish Meseta with its dry brown plateau landscape, and finally the Portuguese coastal hills before descending toward Lisbon and the Tagus.