Which side of the plane to sit on: Chicago to Frankfurt am Main?
Flying from Chicago to Frankfurt am Main? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:05 AMClimbing out of Chicago toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Indiana Dunes National Park, the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve and the Big Bay (canyons and wild country), with the Gogebic Range on the left.
- leftView of Gogebic Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Indiana Dunes National Park (national park)
- rightView of Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (waterfall)
- rightView of Big Bay (bay and coastline)
Flight path features
1:33 PMOut over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Montagnes Blanches and the Manitoulin Island (the low sun on the horizon), with the Red Wine Mountains on the right.
- leftCatch the sunset
- leftView of Montagnes Blanches (mountain range)
- rightView of Red Wine Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Manitoulin Island (island)
Landing views
1:01 AMDescending into Frankfurt am Main from the northwest, the left window looks out over Köln and Frankfurt am Main (the city spread out below).
- leftCity lights of Köln (city skyline and lights)
- leftCity lights of Frankfurt am Main (city skyline and lights)
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 Chicago to Frankfurt am Main?
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset. Out over the Atlantic, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Montagnes Blanches and the Manitoulin Island (the low sun on the horizon), with the Red Wine Mountains on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Chicago?
Climbing out of Chicago toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Indiana Dunes National Park, the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve and the Big Bay (canyons and wild country), with the Gogebic Range on the left.
What about on the descent into Frankfurt am Main?
Descending into Frankfurt am Main from the northwest, the left window looks out over Köln and Frankfurt am Main (the city spread out below).