The one (and pretty much only) great thing about flying:

Within 24 hours I can be pretty much anywhere in the world from anywhere else in the world. Which is why we all put up with all the nonsense.

Oh and flying over my house is cool too...I always like being able to pinpoint my house from up in the air.

Last summer from FRA to SFO we had a routing almost up to the Arctic Circle, probably as far north as I'll ever be. Halfway up the eastern coast of Greenland I saw hundreds of icebergs drifting out from the shore on a perfectly clear day. In row 1 of the 747 I had 5 windows to choose from. All for 67.5k UA miles. :cool:

A hot air balloon ride over the Napa Valley early in the morning, when one's perception is altered by moving at the speed of the air, thus perceiving that one is still while everything else moves. Was it really the other way around? And in the quietude, hearing people talk far down below, as when one is on quiet water.

And for breathtaking: On approach to SCL, before feeling the change in pitch to indicate anything but cruise altitude, awakening and opening the window and looking directly across at Aconcagua at the same elevation.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to fly in the back seat of an F-15D from Kadena AB in Okinawa. The 2 hours I spent watching the earth and sky tumble in a variety of most unusual orientations thru my peripherial vision will stand as the most awesome experience of my life. I can't describe what is was like witness firsthand the power of that aircraft and the skill of the pilot but I managed to last the flight with all of my airsick bags empty, memory banks full and a huge smile on my face.

Same here... going vertical in the back seat of an F-16 over Zaragoza, Spain. No flight has come close since and never will.

Nowhere near any Air Force Plane ride, but what comes to my mind is a TC North Pole flight, with Northern Lights before the most beutiful sunrise I've ever seen
:)

It was either the last or the second last trip I took that flew over our house and we could see our street. I agree. I found it cool. I must be a geek.