Which side of the plane to sit on: Atlanta to Phoenix?
Flying from Atlanta to Phoenix? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.
The best window changes along the way.
Confidence: lowTakeoff views
9:06 AMClimbing out of Atlanta toward the west, the right window looks out over the Barren Hills and the Hightower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Baltzell Mountains and the Connally Cove on the left.
- leftView of Baltzell Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Barren Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Hightower Falls (waterfall)
- leftView of Connally Cove (bay and coastline)
Flight path features
10:45 AMAcross the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Blackington Hills, the Price Canyon and the Hot Springs National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Luera Mountains on the left.
- leftView of Luera Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Blackington Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Price Canyon (deep canyon)
- rightView of Hot Springs National Park (national park)
Landing views
9:26 AMDescending into Phoenix from the east, the left window looks out over the Sevenmile Mountains, the Salt Mountain and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Alchesay Canyon on the right.
- leftView of Sevenmile Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Salt Mountain (mountain range)
- rightView of Alchesay Canyon (deep canyon)
- leftView of Peralta 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 Atlanta to Phoenix?
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.. Across the middle of the route, the right window looks out over the Blackington Hills, the Price Canyon and the Hot Springs National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Luera Mountains on the left.
What views will you get at takeoff from Atlanta?
Climbing out of Atlanta toward the west, the right window looks out over the Barren Hills and the Hightower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Baltzell Mountains and the Connally Cove on the left.
What about on the descent into Phoenix?
Descending into Phoenix from the east, the left window looks out over the Sevenmile Mountains, the Salt Mountain and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Alchesay Canyon on the right.