Which side of the plane to sit on: Phoenix to Vancouver?
Flying from Phoenix to Vancouver? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the RIGHT: View of Bradshaw Mountains (mountain range)
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:05 AMClimbing out of Phoenix toward the northwest, the right window looks out over the Bradshaw Mountains, the Big Spring Canyon and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Hieroglyphic Mountains on the left.
- rightView of Bradshaw Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Hieroglyphic Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Big Spring Canyon (deep canyon)
- rightView of Peralta Canyon (deep canyon)
Flight path features
10:22 AMAcross the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Diamond Hills, the Grand Canyon and the Owyhee Desert (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Santa Maria Mountains on the left.
- rightView of Diamond Hills (mountain range)
- leftView of Santa Maria Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Grand Canyon (mile-deep canyon carved by the Colorado)
- rightView of Owyhee Desert (desert expanse)
Landing views
11:43 AMDescending into Vancouver from the southeast, the right window looks out over the Chuckanut Mountains and the Cultus Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline and the Whidby Island on the left.
- rightView of Chuckanut Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Cultus Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of the the sea coastline
- leftView of Whidby Island (island)
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 Vancouver?
Sit on the RIGHT: View of Bradshaw Mountains (mountain range). Across the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Diamond Hills, the Grand Canyon and the Owyhee Desert (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Santa Maria Mountains on the left.
What views will you get at takeoff from Phoenix?
Climbing out of Phoenix toward the northwest, the right window looks out over the Bradshaw Mountains, the Big Spring Canyon and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Hieroglyphic Mountains on the left.
What about on the descent into Vancouver?
Descending into Vancouver from the southeast, the right window looks out over the Chuckanut Mountains and the Cultus Mountains (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline and the Whidby Island on the left.