Which side of the plane to sit on: Istanbul to Atlanta?
Flying from Istanbul to Atlanta? 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
9:07 AMClimbing out of Istanbul toward the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the Istranca, the Ömeraltı Dağları and Historic Areas of Istanbul (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline on the right.
- leftView of Istranca (mountain range)
- leftView of Ömeraltı Dağları (mountain range)
- leftView of Historic Areas of Istanbul (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- rightView of the Black Sea coastline
Flight path features
2:58 PMOut over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the Taunus, the Moelwynion and Limes Tower I (mountain ridges and peaks), with Moravian Church Settlements on the right.
- leftView of Taunus (mountain range)
- leftView of Moelwynion (mountain range)
- leftView of Limes Tower I (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- rightView of Moravian Church Settlements (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
1:50 PMDescending into Atlanta from the northeast, the right window looks out over the Cowee Mountains, the Balsam Mountains and the Lower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks).
- rightView of Cowee Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Balsam Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Lower Falls (waterfall)
- rightView of Tallulah Gorge (waterfall)
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 Istanbul to Atlanta?
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.. Out over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the Taunus, the Moelwynion and Limes Tower I (mountain ridges and peaks), with Moravian Church Settlements on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Istanbul?
Climbing out of Istanbul toward the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the Istranca, the Ömeraltı Dağları and Historic Areas of Istanbul (mountain ridges and peaks), with the coastline on the right.
What about on the descent into Atlanta?
Descending into Atlanta from the northeast, the right window looks out over the Cowee Mountains, the Balsam Mountains and the Lower Falls (mountain ridges and peaks).