Photo: Michael Haferkamp · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The Greenland Ice Sheet covers 80% of the world's largest island in a thick ice cap. A standard sight on transatlantic flights, the sheer scale of the white expanse — punctuated by dark nunataks and coastal fjords — is awe-inspiring.
243Flight Routes
15 kmClosest Pass
🧊 IceType
Routes that pass it243
BER → SEA
Left
SEA → BER
Right
DEL → YYZ
Right
YYZ → DEL
Left
DEN → DOH
Right
DOH → DEN
Left
DEL → YKZ
Right
EFL → YVR
Right
YKZ → DEL
Left
YVR → EFL
Left
PRG → SEA
Right
SEA → PRG
Left
BUD → YXD
Right
YXD → BUD
Left
CCU → JFK
Right
JFK → CCU
Left
VIE → YVR
Left
YVR → VIE
Right
CAI → SFO
Right
SFO → CAI
Left
PDX → PRG
Left
PRG → PDX
Right
ADB → SFO
Right
SFO → ADB
Left
CAI → SMF
Right
SMF → CAI
Left
CPH → SFO
Right
SFO → CPH
Left
LHE → YYZ
Right
SKT → YTZ
Right
YTZ → SKT
Left
YYZ → LHE
Left
WAW → SFO
Left
CPH → SEA
Left
SEA → CPH
Right
BFI → CPH
Right
CPH → BFI
Left
BOM → ORD
Left
ORD → BOM
Right
ATL → LHE
Left
IST → SFO
Left
LHE → ATL
Right
SFO → IST
Right
LAX → OSL
Left
OSL → LAX
Right
RKE → SFO
Right
SFO → RKE
Left
KTM → LGA
Right
LGA → KTM
Left
MUC → YVR
Right
YVR → MUC
Left
SAW → SFO
Left
SFO → SAW
Right
MAA → YYZ
Right
YYZ → MAA
Left
ATH → YVR
Left
JFK → KTM
Left
KTM → JFK
Right
YVR → ATH
Right
CPH → YXX
Left
YXX → CPH
Right
LAX → WAW
Left
WAW → LAX
Right
AMS → YDQ
Right
YDQ → AMS
Left
MAA → YTZ
Right
YTZ → MAA
Left
BWA → PHL
Right
PHL → BWA
Left
AMD → ORD
Left
ORD → AMD
Right
BUD → SFO
Right
BUD → YVR
Left
LAX → TLV
Left
SFO → BUD
Left
TLV → LAX
Right
YVR → BUD
Right
LAX → SAW
Left
SAW → LAX
Right
HNL → LHR
Right
LHR → HNL
Left
FRA → YVR
Right
YVR → FRA
Left
MUC → SEA
Right
SEA → MUC
Left
GOT → LAX
Right
LAX → GOT
Left
ADB → SEA
Left
SEA → ADB
Right
IST → LAX
Right
LAX → IST
Left
CAI → PDX
Left
PDX → CAI
Right
SFO → TLV
Right
TLV → SFO
Left
DBV → YEG
Right
YEG → DBV
Left
OSL → SEA
Left
SEA → OSL
Right
BFI → OSL
Right
OSL → BFI
Left
CDC → HEL
Right
HEL → CDC
Left
AEY → SEA
Right
SEA → AEY
Left
AMS → YVR
Right
YVR → AMS
Left
ARN → DEN
Right
DEN → ARN
Left
PIA → PNQ
Right
PNQ → PIA
Left
CAI → SEA
Left
SEA → CAI
Right
SFO → VIE
Left
VIE → SFO
Right
BFI → FRA
Left
FRA → BFI
Right
LAX → MJF
Right
MJF → LAX
Left
FRA → SEA
Right
SEA → FRA
Left
SFO → ATH
Left
BUR → KSC
Left
KSC → BUR
Right
BIL → SAW
Left
KSC → LAX
Right
LAX → KSC
Left
YVR → ZRH
Left
ZRH → YVR
Right
KRK → LAX
Right
LAX → KRK
Left
CPH → NID
Right
NID → CPH
Left
BIL → IST
Left
CPH → LAX
Right
LAX → CPH
Left
FRA → PDX
Right
PDX → FRA
Left
FCO → YVR
Right
YVR → FCO
Left
AMS → BFI
Right
BFI → AMS
Left
AMS → SEA
Right
SEA → AMS
Left
DEL → YUL
Right
YUL → DEL
Left
CMH → IXG
Left
IXG → CMH
Right
BFL → ODE
Left
ODE → BFL
Right
ATH → RNO
Right
RNO → ATH
Left
DEL → IAD
Right
IAD → DEL
Left
MUC → YYC
Right
YYC → MUC
Left
AMD → YYZ
Right
YYZ → AMD
Left
AMS → PDX
Right
IST → SEA
Left
PDX → AMS
Left
RNO → HEW
Left
SEA → IST
Right
WAW → YVR
Left
YVR → WAW
Right
HEL → LAX
Left
LAX → HEL
Right
YWG → OSL
Left
OSL → YAV
Right
YAV → OSL
Left
AYT → SEA
Left
BOS → KUL
Right
KSC → LAS
Right
KUL → BOS
Left
LAS → KSC
Left
SEA → AYT
Right
YQY → BKK
Left
SAW → SEA
Left
SEA → SAW
Right
BFI → SAW
Right
CMB → ORD
Left
ORD → CMB
Right
SAW → BFI
Left
DCA → DEL
Left
DEL → DCA
Right
FLR → SEA
Right
SEA → FLR
Left
AMS → YEG
Right
YEG → AMS
Left
CIA → SEA
Right
SEA → CIA
Left
CDC → CPH
Left
CPH → CDC
Right
RKV → YVR
Right
YVR → RKV
Left
BFI → FCO
Left
FCO → BFI
Right
HKT → JFK
Left
JFK → HKT
Right
FRA → YYC
Right
YYC → FRA
Left
ARN → PDX
Left
FCO → SEA
Right
PDX → ARN
Right
SEA → FCO
Left
LIN → SEA
Right
SEA → LIN
Left
GLA → YVR
Right
YVR → GLA
Left
PHX → WAW
Left
WAW → PHX
Right
BLL → LAX
Right
LAX → BLL
Left
CPH → RIW
Right
RIW → CPH
Left
BOM → YYZ
Right
DFW → HEL
Left
HEL → DFW
Right
MXP → SEA
Right
SEA → MXP
Left
YYZ → BOM
Left
KEF → YVR
Right
YVR → KEF
Left
DFW → HEM
Left
HEM → DFW
Right
RKV → SEA
Right
SEA → RKV
Left
SFO → SZG
Left
SZG → SFO
Right
HYD → ORD
Left
ORD → HYD
Right
AMS → YYC
Right
YYC → AMS
Left
BOM → YTZ
Right
YTZ → BOM
Left
PDX → RKV
Left
RKV → PDX
Right
NAG → PIE
Right
PIE → NAG
Left
BZG → QBC
Left
QBC → BZG
Right
BFI → KEF
Left
KEF → BFI
Right
Tip: Visibility depends on cloud cover, time of day, and how close the flight path comes. Sit on the listed side for the best chance of a view. Morning and evening flights often offer the best lighting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see Greenland Ice Sheet from a plane?
Yes — 243 flight routes pass within 500 km of Greenland Ice Sheet. The closest routes include Berlin to Seattle, Seattle to Berlin, Delhi to Toronto. Sit on the Left side, with the landmark passing about 15 km away.
Which side of the plane is best for viewing Greenland Ice Sheet?
The best side varies by route. For the most common routes near Greenland Ice Sheet: on a Berlin to Seattle flight, sit on the Left side; on a Seattle to Berlin flight, sit on the Right side; on a Delhi to Toronto flight, sit on the Right side.