Seeing Guangzhou from a plane
Photo: Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
One of China's three biggest cities, on the Pearl River where it begins to spread into the delta. Look for the 1,982-ft Canton Tower with its pinched waist, and the river winding through towers. At night the tower lights in shifting colors.
3 of our routes pass it. Guangdong
The easy pick
Los Angeles to Shenzhen: sit on the right, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Boston to Hong Kong | Right | 855 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Shenzhen | Right | on the way down |
| New York to Hong Kong | Right | 886 min after takeoff |
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 Guangzhou from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (3 of 3). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Guangzhou 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 Guangzhou 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
Foshan Dongguan Zhongshan Zhuhai Shenzhen Boston (BOS) Hong Kong (HKG) Los Angeles (LAX) New York (JFK) All routes