Seeing Narita International Airport from a plane
Photo: Petra.G09, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tokyo's main international airport, about 40 miles east of the city. Farmers fought its construction for decades, and a few holdout plots still sit by the runways. Look for the two runways cut through farmland and golf courses.
6 of our routes pass it. Japan
The easy pick
New York to Tokyo: sit on the right, 802 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Tokyo | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Tokyo | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| New York to Tokyo | Right | 802 min after takeoff |
| Newark to Tokyo | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Sapporo to Tokyo | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Seattle to Tokyo | 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 Narita International Airport from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (5 of 6). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Narita International 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 Narita International 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.
More
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