Seeing Chihuahuan Desert from a plane5 ★

The largest desert in North America, much of it high plateau, from Big Bend into central Mexico. Look for creosote flats and mountain ranges, with the Rio Grande cutting deep canyons.

18 of our routes pass it. Texas · rated 5 of 10

The easy pick

Phoenix to Tampa: sit on the right, 60 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 Chihuahuan Desert from?

It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (16 of 18). The table lists each route's side.

When can you see Chihuahuan Desert 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.

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