Seeing Calgary from a plane9 ★

The Bow and Elbow rivers meet downtown, with the Rockies about 50 miles west. Look for the tight cluster of towers rising from an endless prairie grid.

11 of our routes pass it. Alberta · rated 4 of 10

The easy pick

Seattle to Istanbul: sit on the left, 56 min after takeoff.

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 Calgary from?

It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (8 of 11). The table lists each route's side.

When can you see Calgary 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 Calgary 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

Mount Assiniboine Lake Louise / Banff peaks Mount Farnham Columbia Icefield Glacier National Park Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) San Francisco (SFO) Seattle (SEA) All routes