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