Seeing Alcatraz Island from a planeup to 4 ★
A federal prison from 1934 to 1963; no one is confirmed to have escaped successfully. Look for the small rocky island in the bay with the long white cellhouse and lighthouse on top.
2 of our routes pass it. California · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
Portland to San Francisco: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Portland to San Francisco | Left | on the way down |
| Salt Lake City to San Francisco | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
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 Alcatraz Island from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (2 of 2). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Alcatraz Island 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.
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
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge San Francisco Sutro Tower Port of Oakland Oakland Portland (PDX) San Francisco (SFO) Salt Lake City (SLC) All routes