Seeing Gateway Arch from a plane
At 630 ft, the tallest arch in the world, exactly as wide as it is tall. Look for the stainless steel curve glinting on the Mississippi riverfront, often throwing a long shadow across downtown St. Louis.
11 of our routes pass it. Missouri · rated 6 of 10
The easy pick
St. Louis to Atlanta: sit on the left, on the climb, 6 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Houston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 34 min after takeoff |
| Chicago to Dallas-Fort Worth | Left | 35 min after takeoff |
| Chicago to Houston | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 35 min after takeoff |
| Dallas to Chicago | Right | 71 min after takeoff |
| Houston to Chicago | Right | 77 min after takeoff |
| Houston to Chicago | Right | 82 min after takeoff |
| Minneapolis to Atlanta | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 51 min after takeoff |
| St. Louis to New York | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 4 min after takeoff |
| St. Louis to Atlanta | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
| St. Louis to Orlando | Left | on the climb, 7 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Los Angeles | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 87 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 Gateway Arch from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (7 of 11). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Gateway Arch 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 Gateway Arch 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
Twin Groves Wind Farm Chicago (MDW) Houston (HOU) Chicago (ORD) Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) All routes