Can You See Meteor Crater From a Plane? Best Seat Side Guide

200 flight routes pass within 60 km of Meteor Crater. Find out which side of the plane has the best views.

The best-preserved meteorite impact crater on Earth — 1.2 km wide and 170 metres deep — sits in the Arizona desert. Its near-perfect circular shape is unmistakable from altitude.

Routes that pass it200

ILM LAX Wilmington to Los Angeles · 0 km Both LAX ILM Los Angeles to Wilmington · 0 km Both LGA SAN New York to San Diego · 0 km Both PHX WAW Phoenix to Warsaw · 0 km Both SAN LGA San Diego to New York · 0 km Both WAW PHX Warsaw to Phoenix · 0 km Both BCN DEN Barcelona to Denver · 2 km Both DEN BCN Denver to Barcelona · 2 km Both EWR SAN Newark to San Diego · 2 km Both LUF CDG Phoenix to Paris · 2 km Both SAN EWR San Diego to Newark · 2 km Both JFK SAN New York to San Diego · 3 km Both SAN JFK San Diego to New York · 3 km Both AUS OAK Austin to Oakland · 4 km Both AUS SFO Austin to San Francisco · 4 km Both HOU SJC Houston to San Jose · 4 km Both OAK AUS Oakland to Austin · 4 km Both PIT SAN Pittsburgh (pennsylva) to San Diego · 4 km Both SAN PIT San Diego to Pittsburgh (pennsylva) · 4 km Both SFO AUS San Francisco to Austin · 4 km Both SJC HOU San Jose to Houston · 4 km Both AMM PHX Amman to Phoenix · 5 km Both AUS LAS Austin to Las Vegas · 5 km Both CPH PHX Copenhagen to Phoenix · 5 km Both HOU LAS Houston to Las Vegas · 5 km Both JFK NZY New York to San Diego · 5 km Both LAS AUS Las Vegas to Austin · 5 km Both LAS HOU Las Vegas to Houston · 5 km Both MCI SAN Kansas City to San Diego · 5 km Both NZY JFK San Diego to New York · 5 km Both PHX AMM Phoenix to Amman · 5 km Both PHX CPH Phoenix to Copenhagen · 5 km Both SAN MCI San Diego to Kansas City · 5 km Both BNA LGB Nashville to Long Beach · 6 km Both LGB BNA Long Beach to Nashville · 6 km Both CLT ONT Charlotte to Ontario · 8 km Both ELP NRT El Paso to Tokyo · 8 km Both FLO LAX Florence to Los Angeles · 8 km Both LAS MAF Las Vegas to Midland · 8 km Both LAX FLO Los Angeles to Florence · 8 km Both LAX SAF Los Angeles to Santa Fe · 8 km Both MAF LAS Midland to Las Vegas · 8 km Both NRT ELP Tokyo to El Paso · 8 km Both ONT CLT Ontario to Charlotte · 8 km Both PHX YWG Phoenix to Winnipeg · 8 km Both SAF LAX Santa Fe to Los Angeles · 8 km Both YWG PHX Winnipeg to Phoenix · 8 km Both MAF SFO Midland to San Francisco · 10 km Right SFO MAF San Francisco to Midland · 10 km Left SJD SLC San Jose Del Cabo to Salt Lake City · 10 km Right SLC SJD Salt Lake City to San Jose Del Cabo · 10 km Left AND LAX Andersen to Los Angeles · 11 km Right IAH LAS Houston to Las Vegas · 11 km Left LAS IAH Las Vegas to Houston · 11 km Right LAX AND Los Angeles to Andersen · 11 km Left CLT LAX Charlotte to Los Angeles · 12 km Left CMH SAN Columbus to San Diego · 12 km Right LAX CLT Los Angeles to Charlotte · 12 km Right SAN CMH San Diego to Columbus · 12 km Left SCL CDC Santiago to Cedar City · 12 km Left IND SAN Indianapolis to San Diego · 14 km Right SAN IND San Diego to Indianapolis · 14 km Left AUS SJC Austin to San Jose · 15 km Right MEX PDX Mexico City to Portland · 15 km Left PDX MEX Portland to Mexico City · 15 km Right SJC AUS San Jose to Austin · 15 km Left TUL LAX Tulsa to Los Angeles · 15 km Left ATL BUR Atlanta to Burbank · 16 km Right BUR ATL Burbank to Atlanta · 16 km Left IAH SJC Houston to San Jose · 16 km Left SJC IAH San Jose to Houston · 16 km Right BNA ONT Nashville to Ontario · 17 km Left HOU SFO Houston to San Francisco · 17 km Left LAX MEM Los Angeles to Memphis · 17 km Left LAX OKC Los Angeles to Oklahoma City · 17 km Left MEM LAX Memphis to Los Angeles · 17 km Right OKC LAX Oklahoma City to Los Angeles · 17 km Right ONT BNA Ontario to Nashville · 17 km Right SFO HOU San Francisco to Houston · 17 km Right CLE SAN Cleveland to San Diego · 18 km Left LAX XNA Los Angeles to Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers · 18 km Right PHL SAN Philadelphia to San Diego · 18 km Right SAN CLE San Diego to Cleveland · 18 km Right SAN PHL San Diego to Philadelphia · 18 km Left XNA LAX Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers to Los Angeles · 18 km Left ABQ BUR Kirtland A.f.b. to Burbank · 19 km Right BUR ABQ Burbank to Kirtland A.f.b. · 19 km Left DFW SBP Dallas-fort Worth to San Luis Obispo · 20 km Right NZY PHL San Diego to Philadelphia · 20 km Left PHL NZY Philadelphia to San Diego · 20 km Right BNA LAX Nashville to Los Angeles · 21 km Left CLT SNA Charlotte to Santa Ana · 21 km Right LAX BNA Los Angeles to Nashville · 21 km Right SNA CLT Santa Ana to Charlotte · 21 km Left SLC TUS Salt Lake City to Tucson · 22 km Left TUS SLC Tucson to Salt Lake City · 22 km Right OAK HOU Oakland to Houston · 25 km Right ORF SNA Norfolk to Santa Ana · 25 km Left SNA ORF Santa Ana to Norfolk · 25 km Right DEN OAM Denver to Oamaru · 26 km Left OAM DEN Oamaru to Denver · 26 km Right AAH PHX Aachen to Phoenix · 27 km Right PHX AAH Phoenix to Aachen · 27 km Left BOS NZY Boston to San Diego · 28 km Left LAS SAT Las Vegas to San Antonio · 28 km Left NZY BOS San Diego to Boston · 28 km Right SAT LAS San Antonio to Las Vegas · 28 km Right ABQ LAX Kirtland A.f.b. to Los Angeles · 29 km Right IAH SFO Houston to San Francisco · 29 km Left LAX ABQ Los Angeles to Kirtland A.f.b. · 29 km Left SFO IAH San Francisco to Houston · 29 km Right BOS SAN Boston to San Diego · 30 km Left SAN BOS San Diego to Boston · 30 km Right SAN STL San Diego to St. Louis · 30 km Left STL SAN St. Louis to San Diego · 30 km Right HNL ONT Honolulu to Ontario · 31 km Left ONT HNL Ontario to Honolulu · 31 km Right BWI SAN Baltimore to San Diego · 32 km Right SAN BWI San Diego to Baltimore · 32 km Left CVG SAN Cincinnati to San Diego · 33 km Right LAS SKF Las Vegas to San Antonio · 33 km Left LAX RDU Los Angeles to Raleigh-durham · 33 km Right PHX LCY Phoenix to London · 33 km Left RDU LAX Raleigh-durham to Los Angeles · 33 km Left SAN CVG San Diego to Cincinnati · 33 km Left SKF LAS San Antonio to Las Vegas · 33 km Right LHR PHX London to Phoenix · 34 km Right PHX LHR Phoenix to London · 34 km Left AGS LAX Bush Field to Los Angeles · 35 km Right LAX AGS Los Angeles to Bush Field · 35 km Left PHX FLR Phoenix to Firenze · 36 km Left SFO THE San Francisco to Teresina · 36 km Right THE SFO Teresina to San Francisco · 36 km Left ATL ONT Atlanta to Ontario · 37 km Right BUR XNA Burbank to Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers · 37 km Right CDG PHX Paris to Phoenix · 37 km Right IAD SAN Washington to San Diego · 37 km Right NAP PHX Naples to Phoenix · 37 km Right ONT ATL Ontario to Atlanta · 37 km Left PHX CDG Phoenix to Paris · 37 km Left PHX NAP Phoenix to Naples · 37 km Left SAN IAD San Diego to Washington · 37 km Left XNA BUR Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers to Burbank · 37 km Left ALG DEN Algier to Denver · 38 km Left ATL LAX Atlanta to Los Angeles · 38 km Right CHS LAX Charleston to Los Angeles · 38 km Right DEN ALG Denver to Algier · 38 km Right LAX ATL Los Angeles to Atlanta · 38 km Left LAX CHS Los Angeles to Charleston · 38 km Left DCA SAN Washington to San Diego · 39 km Right DTW SAN Detroit to San Diego · 39 km Left ELS MSY East London to New Orleans · 39 km Right MSY ELS New Orleans to East London · 39 km Left SAN DCA San Diego to Washington · 39 km Left SAN DTW San Diego to Detroit · 39 km Right BJC PHX Denver to Phoenix · 40 km Right GYM SLC Guaymas to Salt Lake City · 40 km Right IAD PSP Washington to Palm Springs · 40 km Left PHX BJC Phoenix to Denver · 40 km Left PSP IAD Palm Springs to Washington · 40 km Right SLC GYM Salt Lake City to Guaymas · 40 km Left BNA BUR Nashville to Burbank · 42 km Left BUR BNA Burbank to Nashville · 42 km Right MDW SAN Chicago to San Diego · 42 km Left SAN MDW San Diego to Chicago · 42 km Right FCO BJC Rome to Denver · 46 km Right NZY ORD San Diego to Chicago · 46 km Right ORD NZY Chicago to San Diego · 46 km Left DEN PHX Denver to Phoenix · 47 km Right PHX DEN Phoenix to Denver · 47 km Left ROC SAN Rochester to San Diego · 47 km Left SAN ROC San Diego to Rochester · 47 km Right BHM LAX Birmingham to Los Angeles · 48 km Right LAS MIA Las Vegas to Miami · 48 km Right LAS MSY Las Vegas to New Orleans · 48 km Right LAX BHM Los Angeles to Birmingham · 48 km Left MIA LAS Miami to Las Vegas · 48 km Left MSY LAS New Orleans to Las Vegas · 48 km Left ORD SAN Chicago to San Diego · 48 km Left SAN ORD San Diego to Chicago · 48 km Right SAT SFO San Antonio to San Francisco · 49 km Right SFO SAT San Francisco to San Antonio · 49 km Left CAE SNA Colombia to Santa Ana · 50 km Right SNA CAE Santa Ana to Colombia · 50 km Left ATL HNL Atlanta to Honolulu · 51 km Right CUN LAS Cancun to Las Vegas · 51 km Right FLL LAS Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas · 51 km Left HNL ATL Honolulu to Atlanta · 51 km Left LAS CUN Las Vegas to Cancun · 51 km Left LAS FLL Las Vegas to Fort Lauderdale · 51 km Right BFL MIA Bakersfield to Miami · 52 km Left LAS LBB Las Vegas to Lubbock · 52 km Right LBB LAS Lubbock to Las Vegas · 52 km Left LIH ONT Lihue to Ontario · 52 km Left ONT LIH Ontario to Lihue · 52 km Right PDX NEC Portland to Necochea · 53 km Right PSP IND Palm Springs to Indianapolis · 56 km Right BCN PHX Barcelona to Phoenix · 58 km Right PHX BCN Phoenix to Barcelona · 58 km Left SAN SAF San Diego to Santa Fe · 58 km Left

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 Meteor Crater from a plane?

Yes — 200 flight routes pass within 60 km of Meteor Crater. The closest routes include Wilmington to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Wilmington, New York to San Diego. Sit on the Both side.

Which side of the plane is best for viewing Meteor Crater?

The best side varies by route. For the most common routes near Meteor Crater: on a Wilmington to Los Angeles flight, sit on the Both side; on a Los Angeles to Wilmington flight, sit on the Both side; on a New York to San Diego flight, sit on the Both side.