Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Zurich to San Francisco. The SFO arrival on the left side is the highlight of this route — the Bay Area laid out in full during a long, low final approach over the bay is genuinely spectacular. The Zurich departure on the right is excellent but shorter-lived. Left wins overall for the sustained Bay approach views.

During takeoff from Zurich (ZRH), sit on the Right side for the best views. Zurich typically departs westbound on runway 16/28, and a right-side seat gives you a clear view south toward the Alps as you climb out. You'll see the Glarus Alps and the Glärnisch massif rising dramatically above the Swiss Plateau, with Lake Zurich stretching away beneath you. Notable sights include: Lake Zurich, Glärnisch massif, Swiss Plateau patchwork, Uetliberg ridge.

When landing at San Francisco International (SFO), sit on the Left side for the best views. SFO's standard approach from the east comes in over the Bay on runways 28L/28R heading west, and left-side seats face south over the San Francisco Peninsula and the bay. You get a clear view of the Bay Bridge, downtown San Francisco, and the peninsula cities laid out below during the final approach. Notable sights include: San Francisco Bay, Bay Bridge, downtown San Francisco skyline, San Mateo Bridge.

The flight from Zurich (ZRH) to San Francisco International (SFO) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The route tracks northwest over the Swiss Plateau, crosses southern Germany and the Rhine, then heads over the North Sea near the UK. It then arcs across the North Atlantic on a great circle routing, passing south of Greenland and Iceland. Over Canada, the route crosses Labrador and Quebec before tracking over Hudson Bay and the Canadian Prairies. The Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and the Cascades of Washington and Oregon are crossed before descending toward the California coast.