Which side of the plane to sit on: Chicago to Madrid?
Flying from Chicago to Madrid? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the RIGHT: View of Kilbys Mountains (mountain range)
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 South Haven Harbor (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 South Haven Harbor (bay and coastline)
Flight path features
1:24 PMOut over the Atlantic, the right window looks out over the Kilbys Mountains, the Murray Mountains and Miguasha National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with Gros Morne National Park on the left.
- rightView of Kilbys Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Murray Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Miguasha National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- leftView of Gros Morne National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
12:44 AMDescending into Madrid from the northwest, it's dark out with little to see from either window.
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 Madrid?
Sit on the RIGHT: View of Kilbys Mountains (mountain range). Out over the Atlantic, the right window looks out over the Kilbys Mountains, the Murray Mountains and Miguasha National Park (mountain ridges and peaks), with Gros Morne National Park on the left.
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 South Haven Harbor (canyons and wild country), with the Gogebic Range on the left.
What about on the descent into Madrid?
Descending into Madrid from the northwest, it's dark out with little to see from either window.