Seeing Chesapeake Bay from a plane
The largest estuary in the US, about 200 miles long, fed by more than 150 rivers. Look for the 17-mile Bay Bridge-Tunnel crossing its mouth, a thread of road that disappears into the water twice.
24 of our routes pass it. Virginia · rated 6 of 10
The easy pick
Washington to Orlando: sit on the left, 16 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 69 min after takeoff |
| Boston to Orlando | Right | 55 min after takeoff |
| Charlotte to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 36 min after takeoff |
| Charlotte to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 38 min after takeoff |
| Fort Lauderdale to New York | Left | 99 min after takeoff |
| Fort Lauderdale to Philadelphia | Left | 104 min after takeoff |
| Fort Lauderdale to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 107 min after takeoff |
| Houston to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 143 min after takeoff |
| Miami to New York | Left | 104 min after takeoff |
| Miami to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 108 min after takeoff |
| New York to Orlando | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 31 min after takeoff |
| New York to Miami | Right | 31 min after takeoff |
| New York to Orlando | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 33 min after takeoff |
| New York to Miami | Right | 33 min after takeoff |
| New York to Fort Lauderdale | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 40 min after takeoff |
| Newark to Orlando | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 41 min after takeoff |
| Orlando to Philadelphia | Left | 77 min after takeoff |
| Philadelphia to Miami | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 21 min after takeoff |
| Philadelphia to Orlando | Left | 25 min after takeoff |
| Raleigh/Durham to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 24 min after takeoff |
| Tampa to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 84 min after takeoff |
| Tampa to Boston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 96 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Miami | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 15 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Orlando | Left | 16 min after takeoff |
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 Chesapeake Bay from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (16 of 24). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Chesapeake Bay 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
Virginia Beach Chesapeake Bay Bridge Northwest Stadium Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport The Pentagon Atlanta (ATL) New York (LGA) Boston (BOS) Orlando (MCO) All routes