Seeing Death Valley from a plane
Badwater Basin sits 282 ft below sea level, the lowest point in North America, and the valley holds the world's hottest recorded air temperature, 134°F. Look for the white salt flats on the valley floor.
9 of our routes pass it. California · rated 7 of 10
The easy pick
Las Vegas to San Francisco: sit on the left, 18 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Austin to San Francisco | Left | 149 min after takeoff |
| Houston to San Francisco | Left | 170 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to San Francisco | Left | 18 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Seattle | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 19 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Las Vegas | Right | 83 min after takeoff |
| Sacramento to Phoenix | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 37 min after takeoff |
| Sacramento to Las Vegas | Right | 39 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Las Vegas | Right | 48 min after takeoff |
| Seattle to Las Vegas | Right | 99 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 Death Valley from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (5 of 9). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Death Valley 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
Mount Whitney Charleston Peak Sequoia National Park Lake Isabella Sierra Nevada crest Austin (AUS) San Francisco (SFO) Houston (IAH) Las Vegas (LAS) All routes