Granite cliffs including El Capitan and Half Dome rise straight from the valley floor in the Sierra Nevada — a dramatic feature on flights across central California.
Routes that pass it257
DEN → SJC
Left
SJC → DEN
Right
CVG → SJC
Right
SJC → CVG
Left
ATL → OAK
Right
BUR → PDX
Right
OAK → ATL
Left
PDX → BUR
Left
SJC → LIH
Right
BNA → SFO
Left
DEL → PDX
Right
SFO → BNA
Right
LAS → SAC
Right
LAS → SMF
Left
SAC → LAS
Left
SMF → LAS
Right
BWI → SJC
Left
HNL → SJC
Right
SJC → BWI
Right
SJC → HNL
Left
CLT → SFO
Left
SFO → CLT
Right
MCC → LAS
Right
LAX → YVR
Left
YVR → LAX
Right
LAX → PDX
Right
PDX → LAX
Left
HNL → BWI
Right
YYZ → BNE
Left
ATL → SFO
Right
HNL → IAD
Left
IAD → HNL
Right
LAX → SEA
Left
PHX → HND
Left
SEA → LAX
Right
SFO → ATL
Left
SJC → OGG
Left
BFI → LAX
Right
COS → SFO
Left
LAX → BFI
Left
SFO → COS
Right
HNL → DCA
Left
SYD → MSP
Left
LAX → RNO
Left
PDX → SNA
Right
PHX → SMF
Right
RDU → SFO
Left
RNO → LAX
Right
SFO → CDC
Left
SFO → RDU
Right
SMF → PHX
Left
SNA → PDX
Left
DEN → LIH
Left
LAX → PAE
Left
LIH → DEN
Right
PAE → LAX
Right
LAX → DEL
Right
SJC → EWR
Right
SJC → MDW
Right
JAX → OAK
Right
OAK → JAX
Left
SJC → ORD
Right
AUS → SAC
Left
BUR → SEA
Left
DEN → HNL
Right
HNL → DEN
Left
KOA → SJC
Right
SEA → BUR
Right
SJC → KOA
Left
DTW → SJC
Left
SJC → DTW
Right
HNL → SBO
Left
SFO → STL
Right
SMF → HND
Right
STL → SFO
Left
SFO → SBO
Right
MCI → SFO
Left
SFO → MCI
Right
TUS → SMF
Right
ORF → SFO
Left
PHX → SAC
Right
BNA → SJC
Right
LGB → SEA
Left
NGU → SFO
Left
RIC → SFO
Left
SFO → RIC
Right
SJC → BOS
Right
SNA → YYJ
Left
YYJ → SNA
Right
SUU → LAS
Left
DEN → SFO
Left
OAK → MCI
Right
SFO → DEN
Right
PHX → KIX
Left
LAS → CUN
Left
MNL → LAS
Right
SEA → FAT
Left
PDX → SAN
Right
SAN → PDX
Left
IND → SFO
Left
LIH → SFO
Right
RNO → SAN
Right
SAN → RNO
Left
SFO → IND
Right
SFO → LIH
Left
JAN → SFO
Right
SFO → JAN
Left
DEN → OAK
Left
OAK → DEN
Right
DCA → SFO
Left
IAD → SFO
Left
ONT → PDX
Left
SFO → DCA
Right
SFO → IAD
Right
SNA → YVR
Left
YVR → SNA
Right
ATL → SJC
Right
DAL → OAK
Right
DFW → OAK
Right
HOU → SMF
Left
OAK → DAL
Left
OAK → DFW
Left
SFO → ORL
Left
SJC → ATL
Left
BWI → SFO
Left
CMH → SFO
Left
MCO → SFO
Right
SEA → SNA
Right
SFO → BWI
Right
SFO → CMH
Right
SFO → MCO
Left
SJC → SLC
Right
SLC → SJC
Left
SNA → SEA
Left
IAH → SMF
Left
SNA → BFI
Left
LIH → OAK
Right
OAK → LIH
Left
ONT → ANC
Right
SAC → DFW
Right
HNL → SFO
Right
SFO → HNL
Left
SFO → SAF
Left
JNU → LAX
Left
LAX → JNU
Right
MSP → SJC
Left
SJC → MSP
Right
OAK → ABQ
Left
PIT → SFO
Left
SFO → PIT
Right
MCF → SFO
Right
PHL → SFO
Left
SFO → OMA
Right
SFO → PHL
Right
SFO → TPA
Left
TPA → SFO
Right
DAL → SFO
Right
DFW → SFO
Right
HNL → OAK
Right
OAK → HNL
Left
SFO → DFW
Left
FLL → SFO
Right
MDW → SFO
Left
SFO → CLE
Right
SFO → FLL
Left
SFO → MDW
Right
DEN → OGG
Right
DPA → SFO
Left
OAK → PHL
Right
OGG → DEN
Left
OGG → SFO
Right
SFO → OGG
Left
EWR → SFO
Left
JFK → SFO
Left
MIA → SFO
Right
ORD → SFO
Left
PHX → TPE
Left
SFO → EWR
Right
SFO → JFK
Right
SFO → MIA
Left
SFO → ORD
Right
TPE → PHX
Right
SFO → LGA
Right
MSY → SFO
Right
SFO → MSY
Left
ABQ → SFO
Right
DTW → SFO
Left
OAK → MDW
Right
SFO → DTW
Right
DAL → SMF
Left
DFW → SMF
Left
OAK → OGG
Left
OGG → OAK
Right
SMF → DAL
Right
SMF → DFW
Right
FAI → LAX
Left
KOA → SFO
Right
LAX → FAI
Right
SFO → KOA
Left
GRR → SFO
Left
SMF → FLL
Right
BDL → SFO
Left
HND → LAS
Right
JFK → OGG
Left
OGG → JFK
Right
ONT → SEA
Left
SAN → YVR
Left
SEA → NZY
Right
SEA → ONT
Right
YVR → SAN
Right
LIH → DCA
Right
OGG → ORD
Right
ORD → OGG
Left
OAK → LSV
Left
SAN → SEA
Left
SEA → SAN
Right
SMF → PBI
Right
BFI → SAN
Right
IAD → LIH
Left
KOA → OAK
Right
LIH → IAD
Right
SAN → BFI
Left
ALB → SFO
Left
BOS → SFO
Left
SFO → ALB
Right
SFO → BOS
Right
STS → PHX
Left
AUS → OAK
Right
OAK → AUS
Left
PIT → KOA
Right
SAN → ANC
Right
SFO → YYZ
Right
SMF → MCO
Right
YYZ → SFO
Left
DAL → SJC
Right
DFW → SJC
Right
LAS → OAK
Right
MER → LAS
Left
OAK → LAS
Left
PHL → HNL
Left
SFO → ADL
Left
SFO → SLC
Right
SFO → THE
Left
SJC → DFW
Left
SLC → SFO
Left
YKZ → SFO
Left
YUL → SYD
Right
IAH → SFO
Right
SFO → IAH
Left
BNE → SFO
Right
LSV → SFO
Right
SFO → BNE
Left
SCL → SMF
Right
SLC → OAK
Left
HOU → SFO
Right
SFO → HOU
Left
SJC → MIA
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 Yosemite Valley from a plane?
Yes — 257 flight routes pass within 80 km of Yosemite Valley. The closest routes include Denver to San Jose, San Jose to Denver, Cincinnati to San Jose. Sit on the Left side, with the landmark passing about 1 km away.
Which side of the plane is best for viewing Yosemite Valley?
The best side varies by route. For the most common routes near Yosemite Valley: on a Denver to San Jose flight, sit on the Left side; on a San Jose to Denver flight, sit on the Right side; on a Cincinnati to San Jose flight, sit on the Right side.