Seeing Baja California Desert from a plane
The Vizcaíno and central Baja deserts, home to the boojum tree, which grows wild almost nowhere else. Look for the long peninsula's dry spine, with the Pacific on one side and the Gulf of California on the other.
9 of our routes pass it. Baja California Sur
The easy pick
San Diego to San Jose del Cabo: sit on the left, 51 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas to San Jose del Cabo | Right | 72 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 64 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Ixtapa | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 64 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Loreto | Left | 65 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo | Left | 70 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Tepic | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 72 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to San Jose del Cabo | Left | 51 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to San Jose del Cabo | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 99 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta | Right | 106 min after takeoff |
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 Baja California Desert from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (5 of 9). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Baja California Desert from a plane?
Mid-flight: see the table for when on 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
Tres Vírgenes Hermosillo Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) San Diego (SAN) San Francisco (SFO) All routes