Seeing San Jose International Airport from a plane
Photo: D. Coleman, GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons
Barely two miles from downtown San Jose, so close that flights pass low over the city and building heights downtown are capped for them. Look for the parallel runways right beside the Guadalupe River.
5 of our routes pass it. California
The easy pick
Sacramento to San Francisco: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu to Oakland | Right | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Oakland | Left | on the way down |
| Sacramento to San Francisco | Left | on the way down |
| San Francisco to Phoenix | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 9 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to San Antonio | Left | 9 min after takeoff |
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 San Jose International Airport from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (4 of 5). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see San Jose 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 San Jose 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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