Which side of the plane to sit on: Chicago to Phoenix?
Flying from Chicago to Phoenix? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: View of Jemez Mountains (mountain range)
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:05 AMClimbing out of Chicago toward the west, the right window looks out over the Haystack Hills and the Gogebic Range (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Indiana Dunes National Park and the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve on the left.
- rightView of Haystack Hills (mountain range)
- rightView of Gogebic Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Indiana Dunes National Park (national park)
- leftView of Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (waterfall)
Flight path features
10:36 AMAcross the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Jemez Mountains, the Zuni Mountains and the Cow Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Penitente Canyon on the right.
- leftView of Jemez Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Zuni Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Cow Canyon (deep canyon)
- rightView of Penitente Canyon (deep canyon)
Landing views
10:09 AMDescending into Phoenix from the northeast, the left window looks out over the Usery Mountain and the Alchesay Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Sierra Ancha and the Big Spring Canyon on the right.
- rightView of Sierra Ancha (mountain range)
- leftView of Usery Mountain (mountain range)
- rightView of Big Spring Canyon (deep canyon)
- leftView 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 Chicago to Phoenix?
Sit on the LEFT: View of Jemez Mountains (mountain range). Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Jemez Mountains, the Zuni Mountains and the Cow Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Penitente Canyon on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Chicago?
Climbing out of Chicago toward the west, the right window looks out over the Haystack Hills and the Gogebic Range (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Indiana Dunes National Park and the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve on the left.
What about on the descent into Phoenix?
Descending into Phoenix from the northeast, the left window looks out over the Usery Mountain and the Alchesay Canyon (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Sierra Ancha and the Big Spring Canyon on the right.