Which side of the plane to sit on: Atlanta to Chicago?
Flying from Atlanta to Chicago? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.
The best window changes along the way.
Confidence: lowTakeoff views
9:05 AMClimbing out of Atlanta toward the north, the left window looks out over the Baltzell Mountains and the Hightower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks), with the John Dick Mountains and the Cochrans Falls on the right.
- rightView of John Dick Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Baltzell Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Cochrans Falls (waterfall)
- leftView of Hightower Falls (waterfall)
Flight path features
9:45 AMAcross the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Free Hills and the Cohutta Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with Mammoth Cave National Park and the Cataract Falls on the left.
- rightView of Free Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Cohutta Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Mammoth Cave National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- leftView of Cataract Falls (waterfall)
Landing views
9:28 AMDescending into Chicago from the south, the right window looks out over the Gogebic Range and the Indiana Dunes National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve and the Essigs Point on the left.
- rightView of Gogebic Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Indiana Dunes National Park (national park)
- leftView of Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (waterfall)
- leftView of Essigs Point (coastal cape)
Good to know
- Based on the geometric great-circle route; real flight paths can differ with air-traffic routing and winds.
- "Left/right" means facing the direction of travel. Left is the seat A side, right is the F/K side (varies by aircraft).
- Glare advice assumes you want clear ground views; flip it if you'd rather watch the sunrise/sunset directly.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of the plane should you sit on from Atlanta to Chicago?
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.. Across the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Free Hills and the Cohutta Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with Mammoth Cave National Park and the Cataract Falls on the left.
What views will you get at takeoff from Atlanta?
Climbing out of Atlanta toward the north, the left window looks out over the Baltzell Mountains and the Hightower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks), with the John Dick Mountains and the Cochrans Falls on the right.
What about on the descent into Chicago?
Descending into Chicago from the south, the right window looks out over the Gogebic Range and the Indiana Dunes National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve and the Essigs Point on the left.