Seeing Chicago from a plane

The city built the first skyscrapers and reversed its own river in 1900. Look for the dead-straight lakefront, the grid running inland to the horizon, and the Willis Tower's stepped black profile.

46 of our routes pass it. Illinois · rated 9 of 10

The easy pick

Chicago to Dallas-Fort Worth: sit on the left, on the climb, 2 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.

Questions

Which side of the plane do you see Chicago from?

It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (25 of 46). The table lists each route's side.

When can you see Chicago 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 Chicago 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

Rate Field Willis Tower United Center Navy Pier University of Chicago Atlanta (ATL) Chicago (ORD) Boston (BOS) Los Angeles (LAX) All routes