Seeing San Diego from a plane
Wrapped around a deep natural harbor, home of much of the Navy's Pacific Fleet. Look for aircraft carriers docked at North Island, the curving Coronado Bridge, and the bulging green Point Loma peninsula.
2 of our routes pass it. California · rated 4 of 10
The easy pick
Phoenix to San Diego: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix to San Diego | Left | on the way down |
| Sacramento to San Diego | 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.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see San Diego from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (2 of 2). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see San Diego 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 San Diego 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
San Diego–Coronado Bridge SeaWorld San Diego Tijuana Tijuana International Airport San Jacinto Peak Phoenix (PHX) San Diego (SAN) Sacramento (SMF) All routes