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Which side of the plane to sit on: Miami to Phoenix?

Flying from Miami to Phoenix? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.

:
Miami (MIA) → Phoenix (PHX)3,168 km~4h 22mDep 9:00 AM daytimeArr 10:21 AM daytime

Sit on the LEFT: View of Collins Hills (mountain range)

Best overall window for this flight.

Confidence: high

Takeoff views

9:05 AM
Daytime

Climbing out of Miami toward the northwest, the left window looks out over the Biscayne National Park and the Biscayne Bay (canyons and wild country), with the Bella Vista Bay on the right.

  • leftView of Biscayne National Park (national park)
  • rightView of Bella Vista Bay (bay and coastline)
  • leftView of Biscayne Bay (bay and coastline)
  • leftShaded side, less glare for ground views (sun's on the RIGHT)

Flight path features

11:08 AM
Daytime

Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Collins Hills, the Jal Rifle Range and Carlsbad Caverns National Park (mountain ridges and peaks).

  • leftView of Collins Hills (mountain range)
  • leftView of Jal Rifle Range (mountain range)
  • leftView of Carlsbad Caverns National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
  • leftView of Marsh Island (island)

Landing views

10:13 AM
Daytime

Descending into Phoenix from the east, the right window looks out over the Usery Mountain, the Salt Mountain and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks).

  • rightView of Usery Mountain (mountain range)
  • rightView of Salt Mountain (mountain range)
  • rightView of Peralta Canyon (deep canyon)
  • rightView of Alchesay 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 Miami to Phoenix?

Sit on the LEFT: View of Collins Hills (mountain range). Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Collins Hills, the Jal Rifle Range and Carlsbad Caverns National Park (mountain ridges and peaks).

What views will you get at takeoff from Miami?

Climbing out of Miami toward the northwest, the left window looks out over the Biscayne National Park and the Biscayne Bay (canyons and wild country), with the Bella Vista Bay on the right.

What about on the descent into Phoenix?

Descending into Phoenix from the east, the right window looks out over the Usery Mountain, the Salt Mountain and the Peralta Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks).