On US transcontinental flights, one landmark above all others drives the seat recommendation: the Manhattan skyline. Any route that passes JFK or EWR — in either direction — is heavily influenced by which side of the plane captures New York's iconic departure or arrival view.
The LA basin is the West Coast counterpart, but it doesn't tip the balance quite as reliably. The Grand Canyon, the Rockies, and the Sierra Nevada all factor in too — and which side sees them depends on the specific routing, which varies by airline and direction of travel.
From JFK heading west: sit on the left — Manhattan and New York Harbor on departure. Mid-flight left also tracks the Colorado Plateau.
From any West Coast city to JFK or EWR: sit on the left — the Manhattan arrival view from over Jamaica Bay wins the route.
From BOS, ORD, ATL, or DFW heading west to LA: sit on the right — better sustained views across the Southwest terrain and a stronger LA arrival.
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Look up my flight →New York (JFK) routes
New York → Los Angeles (JFK → LAX)
Left wins — departing JFK, the left side captures the full Manhattan skyline, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and New York Harbor as the plane banks right over the city. One of the most recognizable aerial views in the world, lasting several minutes on climb-out. Left also catches the Colorado Rockies mid-flight on clear days.
Full recommendation →Los Angeles → New York (LAX → JFK)
Left wins overall. The right side has the LA basin and Santa Monica Mountains on departure — genuinely dramatic. But the left side's payoff on arrival into JFK is the Manhattan skyline from over Jamaica Bay, which is the more memorable view. Left also tracks the Colorado Rockies slightly better mid-flight.
Full recommendation →New York → San Francisco (JFK → SFO)
Left wins both ends — Manhattan and New York Harbor on departure, then San Francisco Bay and the city skyline on arrival into SFO. During cruise, the left side faces south toward the Colorado Plateau and Rockies. One of the more consistent left-side routes on any transcon.
Full recommendation →San Francisco → New York (SFO → JFK)
Left wins both ends — San Francisco Bay and the Peninsula on departure, then the Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor on arrival. During cruise the left side faces south, picking up the Colorado Plateau, the Rockies, and the Great Plains as the route tracks roughly along 38–40°N.
Full recommendation →Newark & Boston routes
Newark → Los Angeles (EWR → LAX)
Right wins overall, despite a strong left-side NYC departure — EWR's runway 22 departure gives the left side a clear view of Manhattan, the Hudson River, and the Statue of Liberty. But the right side wins the full flight with better views across the Appalachians, the Great Plains, and a stronger approach over the Santa Monica Mountains into LAX.
Full recommendation →Los Angeles → Newark (LAX → EWR)
Left wins — the right side has the LA basin and San Gabriel Mountains on departure, but the left side delivers the Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor on arrival. During cruise, left also tracks closer to the Colorado Rockies and the Appalachians. The iconic Manhattan arrival tips the balance.
Full recommendation →Boston → Los Angeles (BOS → LAX)
Right wins both ends — Logan's runway 22 departure puts the right side facing back over Downtown Boston, the harbor islands, and the Charles River. During cruise the right side tracks the southern Rockies and Mojave terrain, and the Santa Monica Bay coastline appears on the right on approach into LAX.
Full recommendation →Los Angeles → Boston (LAX → BOS)
Left wins overall. The right side has the LA coastline and Santa Monica Mountains on departure, but across the full flight the left side delivers more consistent terrain views — the Rockies and Great Plains — and the Boston Harbor arrival on the left is one of the better urban water approaches in the US.
Full recommendation →Chicago routes
Chicago → Los Angeles (ORD → LAX)
Right wins overall — the left side has a slight edge at takeoff for the Chicago skyline, but the right side wins the full flight. During cruise, right tracks the southern edge of the Rockies, the Colorado Plateau, and the Mojave Desert. On approach into LAX, the right side delivers the Santa Monica Bay coastline and mountains.
Full recommendation →Los Angeles → Chicago (LAX → ORD)
Left wins — the right side has the LA basin on departure, but the left side delivers the superior payoff at arrival: Chicago's lakefront and skyline on approach into O'Hare is one of the most dramatic urban arrivals in the US. Left also tracks closer to the Colorado Rockies mid-flight.
Full recommendation →Chicago → San Francisco (ORD → SFO)
Left wins both ends — Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline on departure, then San Francisco Bay and the city on arrival. During cruise the left side faces south-southwest, picking up the Sierra Nevada high peaks on the approach into California.
Full recommendation →San Francisco → Chicago (SFO → ORD)
Left wins both ends — San Francisco Bay and the city skyline on departure, then the Chicago lakefront and downtown on approach into O'Hare. Both airports deliver their best views from the left, making this one of the clearest left-side calls on any transcon.
Full recommendation →Atlanta & Dallas routes
Atlanta → Los Angeles (ATL → LAX)
Right wins both ends — the right side captures the better departure views from Hartsfield, and during cruise over the Southwest it faces toward the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado River, and the Mojave terrain on descent. The right side also delivers the Santa Monica Mountains and the LA coastline on approach.
Full recommendation →Los Angeles → Atlanta (LAX → ATL)
Right wins — the LA basin departure is spectacular on the right: the Pacific coastline, Downtown LA, and the San Gabriel Mountains. The mid-flight and Atlanta arrival views are broadly similar on both sides, but the outstanding departure experience on the right tips the balance for this route.
Full recommendation →Dallas → Los Angeles (DFW → LAX)
Right wins both ends — Fort Worth and the Trinity River corridor on departure, then the Santa Monica Mountains and LA basin on arrival. Across West Texas and New Mexico the right side also faces slightly more toward the elevated terrain of the Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains.
Full recommendation →What to look for at cruise altitude
Unlike transoceanic flights, transcontinental routes offer real terrain views for almost the entire flight — no long stretches of featureless ocean. Here's what to watch for:
The Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau — One of the most sought-after aerial views in the US. At cruise altitude (35,000–38,000 feet), the Grand Canyon appears as a vast rust-colored gash in the plateau, most dramatic on a clear day. On JFK-to-LA and SFO-to-New York flights, the left side tends to have the better angle. On Chicago-to-LA and Atlanta-to-LA routes, the right side tracks the Colorado River and Colorado Plateau region.
The Rocky Mountains — The Rockies span roughly 1,000 miles from New Mexico to Montana, and most transcontinental routes cross somewhere through the middle. On southerly routings (ATL, DFW to LAX), the right side sees the southern Rockies. On northerly routings (ORD, BOS to SFO), the left side on eastbound flights tends to face south toward the highest peaks.
The Great Salt Lake — Visible on routes that arc through Utah on their way to or from the West Coast. On a clear day it's unmistakable — a vast white or turquoise expanse with no outlets. Look for it on Chicago–SFO and New York–SFO routes.
City skylines mid-flight — Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Kansas City, and St. Louis are all visible from cruise altitude on clear days depending on your routing. Las Vegas's neon grid is particularly striking at dusk or night.
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Get my window seat recommendation →Frequently asked questions
Which side of the plane is best on transcontinental flights?
The Manhattan skyline is the biggest tipping factor. From JFK, the left side wins heading west — you get the full Manhattan panorama on departure. From any West Coast city flying to JFK or EWR, the left side also wins because the Manhattan arrival is the most dramatic view on the route. From Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, or Dallas flying west to LA, the right side tends to win.
Can I see the Grand Canyon from my seat on a transcontinental flight?
Yes, on clear days. On JFK to LAX and SFO to JFK flights, the left side (south-facing at cruise) tends to have the better angle on the Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau. On Chicago to LA and Atlanta to LA routes, the right side sees more of the Southwest terrain including the Colorado River region.
Which side of the plane from New York to Los Angeles?
Sit on the left side for JFK to LAX. The left side captures the full Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor on departure — one of the most recognizable aerial views in the world. Left also catches the Colorado Rockies on clear days mid-flight. From EWR to LAX, the right side wins despite a great left-side NYC takeoff view.
Which side of the plane from Los Angeles to New York?
Sit on the left side for LAX to JFK. The right side has the LA basin and Santa Monica Mountains on departure, but the left side wins overall — the Manhattan arrival view over Jamaica Bay is the most iconic moment on the route. The same logic applies on LAX to EWR.
Which side of the plane from Chicago to Los Angeles?
Sit on the right side for ORD to LAX. The right side wins overall — it tracks the southern Rockies and Colorado Plateau during cruise, then delivers the Santa Monica Bay coastline on approach into LAX. The Chicago departure is slightly better on the left, but the right side wins the full flight.
Which side of the plane gives the best views of the Rocky Mountains?
On eastbound flights heading east from the West Coast, the left side tends to face south toward the Rockies as the flight arcs slightly north. On westbound flights from the Midwest, the right side often tracks the southern Rockies and Colorado Plateau. The exact view depends on the specific routing, which shifts by airline and day.