Which side of the plane to sit on: Seattle to Madrid?
Flying from Seattle to Madrid? 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 Seattle toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Issaquah Alps and the Porter Hills (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Whidby Island and the Marsh Creek Falls on the left.
- rightView of Issaquah Alps (mountain range)
- rightView of Porter Hills (mountain range)
- leftView of Whidby Island (island)
- leftView of Marsh Creek Falls (waterfall)
Flight path features
2:31 PMOut over the Davis Strait, the left window looks out over the sunset and Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (the low sun on the horizon), with the Badshot Range and the Beaverdell Range on the right.
- leftCatch the sunset
- rightView of Badshot Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Beaverdell Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
4:56 AMDescending into Madrid from the northwest, the left window looks out over Valladolid (the city spread out below).
- leftCity lights of Valladolid (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 Seattle to Madrid?
It's a toss-up. Both sides have something; see the breakdown below.. Out over the Davis Strait, the left window looks out over the sunset and Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (the low sun on the horizon), with the Badshot Range and the Beaverdell Range on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Seattle?
Climbing out of Seattle toward the northeast, the right window looks out over the Issaquah Alps and the Porter Hills (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Whidby Island and the Marsh Creek Falls on the left.
What about on the descent into Madrid?
Descending into Madrid from the northwest, the left window looks out over Valladolid (the city spread out below).