Seeing Portland from a plane
Nicknamed Bridgetown for the dozen bridges over the Willamette. Look for Mount Hood about 50 miles east, and Forest Park, one of the largest urban forests in the US, on the hills northwest of downtown.
4 of our routes pass it. Oregon · rated 3 of 10
The easy pick
Portland to Minneapolis: sit on the left, on the climb, 1 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Portland to Seattle | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 0 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Minneapolis | Left | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Los Angeles | Left | on the climb, 4 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Denver | Left | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
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 Portland from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (4 of 4). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Portland 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 Portland 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
St. Johns Bridge Columbia River Gorge Mount Hood Mount St. Helens Mount Jefferson Portland (PDX) Seattle (SEA) Minneapolis (MSP) Los Angeles (LAX) All routes