California - SFO-LAX @ night. Which side has best view?

Title says it all. Night flight out of SFO to LAX. 752. What side of the plane gives the best view. I'm with a rookie flyer so want them to get a good look at the city lights.

Currently in 02D (right side).

I'm sure there are some folks here that fly this route heavily! :)

Thanks

Stay in 2D. You're pretty much over land most of the way, and all of the "cool cities" are on the coast...you'll get to see Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara...then you'll probably make a quick right hand turn over the Pacific then a left to fly over Santa Monica...then a U-turn down to LAX.

2D should be fine for take-off from SF as well - assuming the pilot makes the left turn sooner rather than later. 2A will have a better view first and then once the left turn starts - your view should be awesome. The only way this will get all mucked up is if you are taking off from 10R/L - then no one will have a view as will be taking off away from SF.

If you are flying soon - expect that you might just see lots of pretty colored clouds as summer is foggy-time.

Chad

I'm an "A" side person for SFO-LAX. The view of the Wilshire Corridor and the Valley is amazing!

Can you see much of the Corridor and Valley at night though?

Thanks for all the info! We are flying tonight. OLCI has several F seats we could move to at this time though. 'A' side is wide open.

Can you see much of the Corridor and Valley at night though?

Thanks for all the info! We are flying tonight. OLCI has several F seats we could move to at this time though. 'A' side is wide open.

Absolutely! You get an almost perfect view as long as it's not foggy. I find myself adding a connection via SFO just to get this view. ^

The right side is the best.

The normal flight path takes you over water for most of the trip. The plane crosses over land at Santa Monica, heading east, and then makes a 180 directly over downtown, heading back toward the ocean.

From 2D you'd be able to see the sunset (if your flight is timed right of course). Once over the L.A. basin, first you get a view to the south, which includes LAX, Palos Verdes, Long Beach. Then as the plane banks and turns, you can see the skyscraper cluster downtown, USC, the Union Pacific railyards. Then on final approach, the view north yields downtown, Hollywood, the skyscraper clusters of Century City and Westwood.

L.A. at night is stunningly breathtaking, and a flight approach like this is the most excellent way to see it.

OT, with this approach the plane usually lands on the north side of the airport (24L/R), which means a long 10-15 minute taxi to the gate. On Channel 9 you can sometimes hear the pilot try and negotiate with air traffic control for 25L/R, in which case the taxi time is 2 or 3 minutes.

Unfortunately, it will already be dark. But thanks for the detailed information.

Sorry rar indeed, but you seem to be outvoted on this one! Thank you for your input though it is appreciated. The good news is it sounds like either side is a fun view. :)

I'm going to try to see my house on my way back into LAX... we always see planes going over us (Simi Valley) toward the airport.

The first time I flew into SFO (from the uk) I was asleep and awoke suddenly to find the plane at a sharp angle. The pilot came on the pa and announced he'd done it so maximum people could see the GoldenGate which we were right over at the time. Fantastic view and something I'll never forget....

Moved to the California forum, since not-UA specific and where you can get wider input from a variety of airlines' fliers.

cblaisd
Moderator, United

I would stay in your seat as others have posted.

Moved to the California forum, since not-UA specific and where you can get wider input from a variety of airlines' fliers.

cblaisd
Moderator, United

I assumed that flight routes were somewhat carrier specific, though I'm not totally sure about that.

I assumed that flight routes were somewhat carrier specific, though I'm not totally sure about that.

Most of the air traffic from the north is routed into the SADDE SIX arrival. The routing is often AVENAL to FILLMORE to SADDE and then overfly SANTA MONICA before turning over downtown LA.

I assumed that flight routes were somewhat carrier specific, though I'm not totally sure about that.

No problem. :)

No, they're not carrier specific. Rather there are standard departure routes from an airport and a relatively small number of possible IFR routings to the LAX area, and then, as FlyinHawaiian indicates the typical arrival for any from-the-north traffic.

I would echo those choosing the right side of the plane. You can get some amazing views: first PacBell Park et al thn the Pacific beaches of San Francisco. After that you'll be over water for a short while and then will cross Monterey Bay such that Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Monterey, Pacific Grove, will be right underneath you, just to your right. After you make the typical downwind turn at the Santa Monica VOR arriving to LAX, you'll fly downwind a few miles from LAX where you can see the planes landing and taking off parallel to your track.