Seeing Istanbul from a plane9 ★
Straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus. Look for the Golden Horn inlet, the domes and minarets of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque on the old peninsula, and bridges strung between the continents.
16 of our routes pass it. Turkey · rated 7 of 10
The easy pick
Boston to Istanbul: sit on the right, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Boston to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
| Chicago to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
| Detroit to Istanbul | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | on the way down |
| Houston to Istanbul | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Istanbul | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Dubai | Left | 710 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
| New York to Delhi | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 481 min after takeoff |
| New York to Mumbai | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 496 min after takeoff |
| New York to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
| Newark to Delhi | Right | 513 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Dubai | Left | 690 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
| Seattle to Istanbul | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | on the way down |
| Washington to Dubai | Left | 528 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Istanbul | Right | on the way down |
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 Istanbul from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (13 of 16). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Istanbul 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 Istanbul 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
Bosphorus Kanuni Sultan Suleiman bridge Gebze Çanta Wind Farm Boston (BOS) Chicago (ORD) Detroit (DTW) Houston (IAH) All routes