Seeing Bakken gas flares from a plane7 ★
At the height of the North Dakota oil boom so much gas was flared that the empty prairie around Williston glowed in night satellite images like a big city. Look for a wide scatter of bright dots with no town attached.
7 of our routes pass it. North Dakota · rated 7 of 10
The easy pick
Salt Lake City to Amsterdam: sit on the left, 72 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas to Zurich | Right | 110 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to London | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 129 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Dublin | Left | 145 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Anchorage | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 234 min after takeoff |
| Salt Lake City to Amsterdam | Left | 72 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to London | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 119 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Istanbul | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 122 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 Bakken gas flares from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (5 of 7). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Bakken gas flares from a plane?
Mid-flight: see the table for when on each route.
Can you see Bakken gas flares 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
Las Vegas (LAS) Zurich (ZRH) Los Angeles (LAX) London (LHR) All routes