Seeing Philadelphia from a plane

William Penn laid out its grid in 1682 between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. Look for City Hall's tower, topped by a statue of Penn, at the center of the grid where Broad and Market streets cross.

36 of our routes pass it. Pennsylvania · rated 5 of 10

The easy pick

Philadelphia to Orlando: sit on the left, on the climb, 0 min after takeoff.

Which side, by route

From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.

Questions

Which side of the plane do you see Philadelphia from?

It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (28 of 36). The table lists each route's side.

When can you see Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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

Benjamin Franklin Bridge Battleship New Jersey Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia Navy Yard Philadelphia International Airport Atlanta (ATL) New York (LGA) Baltimore (BWI) Boston (BOS) All routes