Seeing Cape Hatteras from a plane4 ★
The Graveyard of the Atlantic: shifting shoals here have wrecked hundreds of ships. Its striped lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the US, was moved 2,900 ft inland in 1999. Look for the sharp elbow where the Outer Banks turn west.
7 of our routes pass it. North Carolina · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
Washington to San Juan: sit on the right, 34 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Boston to Santo Domingo | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 75 min after takeoff |
| Charlotte to Hamilton | Right | 42 min after takeoff |
| New York to Punta Cana | Right | 54 min after takeoff |
| Philadelphia to Oranjestad | Right | 40 min after takeoff |
| Washington to San Juan | Right | 34 min after takeoff |
| Washington to San Juan | Right | 38 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Punta Cana | Right | 39 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 Cape Hatteras from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (6 of 7). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Cape Hatteras 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
Outer Banks Virginia Beach Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Cape Fear Raleigh Boston (BOS) Charlotte (CLT) New York (JFK) Philadelphia (PHL) All routes