Which side of the plane to sit on: New York to Istanbul?
Flying from New York to Istanbul? 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 New York toward the northeast over the Atlantic, the right window looks out over the Shinnecock Hills, the coastline and the Long Island (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Candlewood Hills on the left.
- leftView of Candlewood Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Shinnecock Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of the Atlantic coastline
- rightView of Long Island (island)
Flight path features
2:12 PMOut over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the sunset and Ironbridge Gorge (the low sun on the horizon), with the Maumturks and the Annieopsquotch Mountains on the right.
- leftCatch the sunset
- rightView of Maumturks (mountain range)
- rightView of Annieopsquotch Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Ironbridge Gorge (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
2:19 AMDescending into Istanbul from the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the coastline (rugged cliffs and headlands).
- leftView of the Black Sea coastline
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 New York to Istanbul?
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.. Out over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the sunset and Ironbridge Gorge (the low sun on the horizon), with the Maumturks and the Annieopsquotch Mountains on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from New York?
Climbing out of New York toward the northeast over the Atlantic, the right window looks out over the Shinnecock Hills, the coastline and the Long Island (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Candlewood Hills on the left.
What about on the descent into Istanbul?
Descending into Istanbul from the northwest over the Black Sea, the left window looks out over the coastline (rugged cliffs and headlands).