Which side of the plane to sit on: Vancouver to Chicago?
Flying from Vancouver to Chicago? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: View of Cheam Range (mountain range)
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:07 AMClimbing out of Vancouver toward the east, the left window looks out over the Cheam Range, the North Shore Mountains and the Bowen Island National Park Reserve (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Whidby Island on the right.
- leftView of Cheam Range (mountain range)
- leftView of North Shore Mountains (mountain range)
- rightView of Whidby Island (island)
- leftView of Bowen Island National Park Reserve (national park)
Flight path features
10:55 AMAcross the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Okanagan Range, the Kettle River Range and the Texas Point (mountain ridges and peaks).
- leftView of Okanagan Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Kettle River Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Texas Point (peninsula coastline)
- leftView of South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Reserve (national park)
Landing views
2:49 PMDescending into Chicago from the northwest, the left window looks out over the Gogebic Range, the Columbia Bay and the Buttons Bay (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve on the right.
- leftView of Gogebic Range (mountain range)
- rightView of Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (waterfall)
- leftView of Columbia Bay (bay and coastline)
- leftView of Buttons Bay (bay and coastline)
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).
Frequently asked questions
Which side of the plane should you sit on from Vancouver to Chicago?
Sit on the LEFT: View of Cheam Range (mountain range). Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the Okanagan Range, the Kettle River Range and the Texas Point (mountain ridges and peaks).
What views will you get at takeoff from Vancouver?
Climbing out of Vancouver toward the east, the left window looks out over the Cheam Range, the North Shore Mountains and the Bowen Island National Park Reserve (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Whidby Island on the right.
What about on the descent into Chicago?
Descending into Chicago from the northwest, the left window looks out over the Gogebic Range, the Columbia Bay and the Buttons Bay (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve on the right.