Which side of the plane to sit on: Phoenix to London?
Flying from Phoenix to London? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:06 AMClimbing out of Phoenix toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Sierra Ancha, the Cataract Canyon and the Alchesay Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the White Hills on the left.
- leftView of White Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Sierra Ancha (mountain range)
- rightView of Cataract Canyon (deep canyon)
- rightView of Alchesay Canyon (deep canyon)
Flight path features
2:29 PMAcross the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Indian Peaks and Mesa Verde National Park (the low sun on the horizon), with the Chuska Mountains on the right.
- leftCatch the sunset
- rightView of Chuska Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Indian Peaks (mountain range)
- leftView of Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
3:52 AMDescending into London from the northwest, the left window looks out over London & the Thames and Birmingham (the city spread out below), with Reading on the right.
- leftCity lights of London & the Thames (the river's curves through the capital)
- leftCity lights of Birmingham (city skyline and lights)
- rightCity lights of Reading (city skyline and lights)
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 London?
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset. Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Indian Peaks and Mesa Verde National Park (the low sun on the horizon), with the Chuska Mountains on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Phoenix?
Climbing out of Phoenix toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Sierra Ancha, the Cataract Canyon and the Alchesay Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the White Hills on the left.
What about on the descent into London?
Descending into London from the northwest, the left window looks out over London & the Thames and Birmingham (the city spread out below), with Reading on the right.