Seeing Albuquerque from a plane8 ★

On the Rio Grande at about 5,300 ft, with the 10,000-ft Sandia Mountains rising right behind it. Look for the green ribbon of cottonwoods along the river.

39 of our routes pass it. New Mexico · rated 4 of 10

The easy pick

Phoenix to Albuquerque: sit on the left, on the way down.

Which side, by route

From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day. Where the best seat for the whole flight is on the other side, you'd trade this sight for more elsewhere.

Questions

Which side of the plane do you see Albuquerque from?

It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (20 of 39). The table lists each route's side.

When can you see Albuquerque from a plane?

Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.

Can you see Albuquerque at night?

Yes, by its lights. The app scores lit places at night by how bright they are.

Do clouds matter?

Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.

More

Chicoma Mountain South Baldy Truchas Peak White Sands Shiprock Austin (AUS) Sacramento (SMF) Baltimore (BWI) Charlotte (CLT) All routes