Which side of the plane to sit on: Istanbul to Los Angeles?
Flying from Istanbul to Los Angeles? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: View of Istranca (mountain range)
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:08 AMClimbing out of Istanbul toward the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the Istranca, the Ömeraltı Dağları and the Çatalca Peninsula (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline on the right.
- leftView of Istranca (mountain range)
- leftView of Ömeraltı Dağları (mountain range)
- rightView of the Black Sea coastline
- leftView of Çatalca Peninsula (peninsula coastline)
Flight path features
4:04 PMOut over the Davis Strait, the left window looks out over the Buel Range and the Centennial Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with Vestnorsk fjordlandskap and Srebarna on the right.
- leftView of Buel Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Centennial Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Vestnorsk fjordlandskap (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- rightView of Srebarna (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
1:00 PMDescending into Los Angeles from the northeast, the left window looks out over the Long Buttes and the High Desert (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Bissell Hills and the Laurel Canyon on the right.
- rightView of Bissell Hills (mountain range)
- leftView of Long Buttes (mountain range)
- rightView of Laurel Canyon (deep canyon)
- leftView of High Desert (desert expanse)
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 Istanbul to Los Angeles?
Sit on the LEFT: View of Istranca (mountain range). Out over the Davis Strait, the left window looks out over the Buel Range and the Centennial Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with Vestnorsk fjordlandskap and Srebarna on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Istanbul?
Climbing out of Istanbul toward the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the Istranca, the Ömeraltı Dağları and the Çatalca Peninsula (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline on the right.
What about on the descent into Los Angeles?
Descending into Los Angeles from the northeast, the left window looks out over the Long Buttes and the High Desert (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Bissell Hills and the Laurel Canyon on the right.