Seeing Cape Ann from a plane
Rocky headland north of Boston holding Gloucester, one of America's oldest fishing ports, and Rockport. Look for a granite knob jutting into the Atlantic with a busy harbor on its southwest side and old quarry ponds inland.
11 of our routes pass it. Massachusetts · rated 4 of 10
The easy pick
Boston to Atlanta: sit on the left, on the climb, 3 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| Boston to Atlanta | Left | on the climb, 3 min after takeoff |
| Boston to Denver | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 3 min after takeoff |
| Boston to Orlando | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 3 min after takeoff |
| Boston to Washington | Left | on the climb, 4 min after takeoff |
| Boston to Chicago | Right | on the climb, 4 min after takeoff |
| Chicago to Boston | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| Minneapolis to Boston | Left | on the way down |
| Nashville to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| Philadelphia to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| Washington to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 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.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Cape Ann from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (6 of 11). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Cape Ann 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
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