Seeing Mackinac Bridge from a plane6 ★
Five miles long, with the longest suspension span between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere, joining Michigan's two peninsulas since 1957. Look for the ivory towers and green deck over the Straits.
5 of our routes pass it. Michigan · rated 6 of 10
The easy pick
Minneapolis to Burlington: sit on the left, 51 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Amsterdam | Left | 38 min after takeoff |
| Detroit to Sault Ste Marie | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Minneapolis to Burlington | Left | 51 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Boston | Right | 192 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Montreal | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 210 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 Mackinac Bridge from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (3 of 5). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Mackinac Bridge 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.
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
Sleeping Bear Dunes Lake Huron Bruce Peninsula National Park Lake Michigan Lake Superior Chicago (ORD) Amsterdam (AMS) Detroit (DTW) Minneapolis (MSP) All routes