The Window Seat Finder

Left or right? Pick your side before you book.

28 flights, trains, ferries and drives where the side you sit on decides what you see. Every answer is checked against an airline, a rail operator or people who ride the route, and we tell you plainly when it is a sure thing and when it is luck.

It’s geography the side never moves Usually depends on the stretch Wind decides nobody can promise it

28 routes

Flight ✈ North AmericaIt’s geography

Seattle to Anchorage, and the Alaska milk run

Right

Right going north, left coming back

Northbound from Seattle

You’ll see: The Inside Passage, the Juneau Icefield and the glacier country below Mount Saint Elias
When: Clear days are best from late spring to early fall

The milk run hops Ketchikan, Juneau, Yakutat and Cordova, so the plane is low and slow over the ice. Alaska Airlines publishes this side itself.

Source: Alaska Airlines

Flight ✈ North AmericaUsually

Seattle south to Portland or California

Left

Southbound from Seattle

You’ll see: Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and its open crater, Mount Adams, then Mount Hood
When: Any clear day, all year; snowcaps are brightest from November to June

Heading south, the Cascades sit to the east, which is your left. Reverse it flying north.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ North AmericaUsually

Sacramento to Las Vegas

Right

Southeast from Sacramento

You’ll see: The Sierra Nevada, Yosemite and Half Dome, then Mono Lake
When: Winter and spring for snow on the Sierra

Routings vary a little, so treat this as a strong lean rather than a promise.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ South AmericaIt’s geography

Santiago to Punta Arenas

Left

Left going south, right going north

Southbound from Santiago

You’ll see: A chain of volcanoes, the fjords, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and Fitz Roy
When: The southern summer, November to March

The Andes run along the east side of the route the whole way. It is one of the great window seats on Earth!

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ AsiaUsually

Lhasa to Kathmandu

Right

Southwest from Lhasa

You’ll see: Everest, from the Tibetan side
When: October to December and spring for the clearest air

If Everest is the point, this is the flight, not Delhi to Kathmandu.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ AsiaIt’s geography

Delhi to Kathmandu

Left

Left going east, right going back

Eastbound from Delhi

You’ll see: Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu. Not Everest, which is well east of this track
When: October and November, after the monsoon clears the air

Flying east, north is on your left, and the whole Himalaya is north of you.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ AsiaIt’s geography

Everest mountain flight from Kathmandu

Both

Left going out, right coming back

Out and back from Kathmandu

You’ll see: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and the rest of the Khumbu peaks
When: September to April, early morning

Buddha Air sells the cabin so everyone gets a window, then the plane turns so both sides get the view.

Source: Buddha Air

Flight ✈ AsiaIt’s geography

Into Tokyo Haneda from the west

Left

Eastbound into Tokyo

You’ll see: Mount Fuji, about 10 to 15 minutes before landing
When: Snowcapped from about late October to early June

Japan Airlines publishes this. Leaving Haneda westbound it depends on the airway, so it is not bookable that way.

Source: Japan Airlines

Flight ✈ AtlanticUsually

Europe to North America over Greenland

Right

Westbound across the North Atlantic

You’ll see: The ice sheet, outlet glaciers and icebergs off the coast
When: Daytime westbound flights; eastbound usually crosses at night

Take the morning departure from Europe. The overnight return trades Greenland for a chance at the aurora.

Source: AeroSavvy on the North Atlantic Tracks

Flight ✈ Anywhere far northIt’s geography

Any night flight at high northern latitudes

Both

The north side: right flying west, left flying east

East or west, after dark

You’ll see: The northern lights
When: September to March, on dark nights

Dim your screen, cup your hands against the window and give your eyes a few minutes. KLM gives the same advice.

Source: KLM

Flight ✈ OceaniaWind decides

Landing in Sydney

Luck

Arrivals into SYD

You’ll see: Sometimes the harbour and the Opera House, often just Botany Bay
When: Any time

Runway in use decides it, and Sydney spreads arrivals around. Anyone promising a side is guessing.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ AsiaWind decides

Landing in Hong Kong

Luck

Arrivals into HKG

You’ll see: The skyline on the left landing west, Lantau's hills on the right landing east
When: Any time

Close to a coin flip, decided by the wind.

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Flight ✈ OceaniaUsually

Landing in Queenstown

Left

Lean left

Arrivals into ZQN

You’ll see: The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu, close enough to count the ridgelines
When: Clear days, all year

The approach varies. If the weather is marginal, a locals' tip: take the aisle, you will not want to see it!

Source: Our guide: Which Side of the Plane

Train ✈ AsiaIt’s geography

Tokaido Shinkansen, Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka

Right

Right: seat E, or D in the Green Car

Westbound from Tokyo

You’ll see: Mount Fuji across the rooftops around Shin-Fuji station
When: Clear winter mornings are best; Fuji hides in summer haze

Coming back toward Tokyo, book seat A. After Mishima, start watching!

Source: Is Fuji Visible?

Train ✈ North AmericaIt’s geography

Amtrak Coast Starlight, Los Angeles to Seattle

Left

Left going north, right going south

Northbound from Los Angeles

You’ll see: Long stretches of open Pacific past Santa Barbara, then Mount Shasta
When: All year; the ocean stretch runs in daylight

For Mount Shasta, sit right on the northbound train and get up early, or go to the Sightseer Lounge.

Source: Amtrak Guide

Train ✈ North AmericaIt’s geography

Amtrak Cascades, Seattle to Vancouver

Left

Left going north, right going south

Northbound from Seattle

You’ll see: Puget Sound, Chuckanut Bay and the San Juan Islands in the distance
When: All year; sunset trains are the prettiest

The best water is north of Everett and along Chuckanut Drive.

Source: Amtrak Guide

Train ✈ North AmericaIt’s geography

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Los Angeles to San Diego

Right

Right going south, left going north

Southbound from Los Angeles

You’ll see: Surf beaches at San Clemente and Del Mar, almost close enough to touch
When: All year

Heading south, the Pacific is to the west, which is your right.

Source: Amtrak Guide

Train ✈ EuropeIt’s geography

The Rhine Gorge, Koblenz to Mainz

Left

Left going south, right going north

Southbound from Koblenz

You’ll see: Castles on both banks, the Lorelei rock and vineyards stacked up the slopes
When: All year; autumn color in October

Take the regional train on the west bank line, not the high speed line, which skips the gorge. German trains let you move to an empty seat on the river side.

Source: The Man in Seat 61

Train ✈ EuropeUsually

Glacier Express, Zermatt to St. Moritz

Left

Lean left

Eastbound from Zermatt

You’ll see: The Rhine Gorge and the Landwasser Viaduct
When: All year; winter is the most dramatic

Panoramic windows on both sides make this a small edge, not a big one. The train changes direction on the way, so ask staff which side is which on the day.

Source: MySwissAlps

Train ✈ EuropeUsually

Bernina Express, Chur to Tirano

Right

Lean right

Southbound from Chur

You’ll see: The Landwasser Viaduct, then Lago Bianco on the Bernina Pass
When: All year; snow from December to April

Reservations are assigned, and the seat map does not show which way the train faces, so ask when you book.

Source: MySwissAlps

Train ✈ EuropeUsually

Gotthard Panorama route, Lugano to Lucerne

Both

Left through Ticino, right after Faido

Northbound from Lugano

You’ll see: The spiral tunnels and the Leventina valley, then the Reuss valley toward Lake Lucerne
When: April to October for the panorama train

Switch sides around Wassen if the carriage has room.

Source: MySwissAlps

Train ✈ EuropeUsually

Bergen Railway, Oslo to Bergen

Right

Lean right, after Geilo

Westbound from Oslo

You’ll see: The Hardangervidda plateau and the high stations at Finse
When: All year; snow from November to May

Two guides agree on the right side across the plateau; the left is better on the descent toward Voss. One popular guide gets its compass directions mixed up, so trust left and right, not north and south.

Source: Norway Explained

Train ✈ EuropeUsually

Flåm Railway, Myrdal down to Flåm

Left

Lean left

Downhill from Myrdal

You’ll see: Waterfalls, switchbacks and the Flåm valley opening up below
When: All year; May and June for the biggest waterfalls

The train zigzags and stops at Kjosfossen falls, where everyone gets out, so either side works.

Source: Fodor's Travel Talk

Train ✈ EuropeIt’s geography

West Highland Line, Fort William to Mallaig

Left

Westbound from Fort William

You’ll see: The Glenfinnan Viaduct, the monument and the length of Loch Shiel
When: All year; the Jacobite steam train runs spring to autumn

The regular ScotRail train crosses the same viaduct for a fraction of the steam train's price.

Source: Wikivoyage

Train ✈ AsiaUsually

Sri Lanka hill country, Kandy to Ella

Both

Right, then left after Nanu Oya

Eastbound into the hills

You’ll see: Tea estates, waterfalls and the Nine Arches country around Ella
When: January to April is the driest stretch

Check before you go: as of fall 2026 the full route was not running, and trains ran from Nanu Oya to Badulla via Ella.

Source: Laure Wanders

Ferry ✈ North AmericaIt’s geography

Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan

Right

Southbound to Staten Island

You’ll see: The Statue of Liberty, and the Lower Manhattan skyline behind you
When: All year, free, around the clock

The outbound trip passes closest. Stay on deck at the rail, not inside by the windows.

Source: Uncovering New York

Drive ✈ OceaniaUsually

Great Ocean Road, Melbourne side to Warrnambool

Left

Drive west: the ocean is on your side

Westbound from Torquay

You’ll see: The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and a coastline of pull offs
When: All year; late afternoon light on the Apostles

Australia drives on the left, so heading west keeps you in the ocean lane and makes the pull offs easy.

Source: Fodor's Travel Talk

Drive ✈ North AmericaUsually

Highway 1 through Big Sur

Right

Drive south: the ocean is on your side

Southbound from Monterey

You’ll see: Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls and long cliffs over the Pacific
When: All year; check road status first

Landslides close parts of Highway 1 often. Check Caltrans QuickMap before you set out.

Source: Caltrans QuickMap

Not on the list?

Work out any route with three questions

What is out there?

Find the mountain, coast or city on a map before you look at a seat map. If it sits beside the route, it is worth planning around.

Which way are you heading?

Going north, east is on your right. Going south, east is on your left. Going east, north is on your left. Going west, north is on your right.

Where is the sun?

Facing away from the sun gets you color and detail. Facing into it gets you silhouettes, and on a westbound evening flight, a sunset that lasts for hours.

Read the full guide: Which Side of the Plane Should You Sit On?

On planes, A is the left window on almost every aircraft, and the right window is usually F on narrow planes and K on wide ones. Approaches change with the wind, and no view is ever guaranteed. Last checked November 2026.