Seeing John Wayne Airport from a plane6 ★
Known for its noise-abatement departures: jets climb steeply, then throttle back over Newport Beach. The main runway is only about 5,700 ft long. Look for the airport hemmed in by Irvine office parks and the Newport Back Bay.
32 of our routes pass it. California · rated 3 of 10
The easy pick
Los Angeles to Cancun: sit on the left, on the climb, 9 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas to Long Beach | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Honolulu to Long Beach | Right | on the way down |
| Houston to Long Beach | Right | on the way down |
| Las Vegas to Long Beach | Left | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Cancun | Left | on the climb, 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Houston | Left | 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Las Vegas | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Loreto | Left | 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta | Left | 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo | Left | 9 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Cincinnati | Left | on the climb, 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Detroit | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Dublin | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to El Paso | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Guadalajara | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Mazatlan | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Phoenix | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Prescott | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Palm Springs | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Panama City | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to San Salvador | Left | on the climb, 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Tucson | Left | 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Northwest Arkansas | Left | on the climb, 10 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to St. Louis | Left | on the climb, 11 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Tepic | Left | 11 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Zurich | Left | on the climb, 11 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Long Beach | Left | on the way down |
| Sacramento to Long Beach | Right | on the way down |
| San Diego to Spokane | Right | 12 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Medford | Right | 12 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Los Angeles | Right | 13 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Everett | Right | 13 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 John Wayne Airport from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (21 of 32). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see John Wayne Airport 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 John Wayne Airport 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.
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