Which side of the plane to sit on: Phoenix to Boston?
Flying from Phoenix to Boston? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: View of Sierra Ancha (mountain range)
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:06 AMClimbing out of Phoenix toward the northeast, the left window looks out over the Sierra Ancha and the Cataract Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Usery Mountain and the Alchesay Canyon on the right.
- rightView of Usery Mountain (mountain range)
- leftView of Sierra Ancha (mountain range)
- leftView of Cataract Canyon (deep canyon)
- rightView of Alchesay Canyon (deep canyon)
Flight path features
11:27 AMAcross the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Smoky Hill Buttes, the Moresville Range and Taos Pueblo (mountain ridges and peaks).
- leftView of Smoky Hill Buttes (mountain range)
- leftView of Moresville Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Taos Pueblo (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- leftView of Picture Canyon (deep canyon)
Landing views
4:54 PMDescending into Boston from the west, the right window looks out over the Blue Hill Range, Mount Tom Range and the Noepe (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Desert of Maine on the left.
- rightView of Blue Hill Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Mount Tom Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Noepe (island)
- leftView of Desert of Maine (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 Phoenix to Boston?
Sit on the LEFT: View of Sierra Ancha (mountain range). Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Smoky Hill Buttes, the Moresville Range and Taos Pueblo (mountain ridges and peaks).
What views will you get at takeoff from Phoenix?
Climbing out of Phoenix toward the northeast, the left window looks out over the Sierra Ancha and the Cataract Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Usery Mountain and the Alchesay Canyon on the right.
What about on the descent into Boston?
Descending into Boston from the west, the right window looks out over the Blue Hill Range, Mount Tom Range and the Noepe (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Desert of Maine on the left.