Seeing Mexico City from a plane
Photo: Gobierno CDMX, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Over 21 million people on the bed of a drained lake about 7,350 ft up, and parts of it sink by inches a year. Look for the green rectangle of Chapultepec Park and volcanoes like Popocatépetl to the southeast.
26 of our routes pass it. Distrito Federal
The easy pick
Houston to Mexico City: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Austin to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Boston to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Charlotte to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Chicago to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Denver to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Detroit to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Houston to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Las Vegas to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Lima | Left | 174 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Oaxaca | Left | 182 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Miami to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Minneapolis to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| New York to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Newark to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Orlando to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Philadelphia to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Phoenix to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Raleigh/Durham to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Salt Lake City to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| San Francisco to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Seattle to Mexico City | Left | on the way down |
| Tampa to Mexico City | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Washington to Mexico City | Left | 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 Mexico City from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (26 of 26). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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
National Palace Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Chapultepec Castle Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium Estadio Olímpico Universitario Atlanta (ATL) Austin (AUS) Boston (BOS) Charlotte (CLT) All routes