Seeing Sedona red rocks from a plane
Photo: Terrydarc, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Red sandstone buttes and spires rising above green juniper and pine below the Mogollon Rim. Look for Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock glowing orange in low sun against dark green.
31 of our routes pass it. Arizona
The easy pick
Denver to Prescott: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Santa Barbara | Right | 108 min after takeoff |
| Denver to Prescott | Left | on the way down |
| Houston to Las Vegas | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 124 min after takeoff |
| Indianapolis to San Diego | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 193 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Dallas | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 28 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to New Orleans | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 28 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Monterrey | Left | 29 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Scottsdale | Left | 29 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Albuquerque | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 31 min after takeoff |
| Las Vegas to Huntsville | Left | 32 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Kansas City | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 50 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Oklahoma City | Left | 50 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Northwest Arkansas | Left | 50 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to St. Louis | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 53 min after takeoff |
| Los Angeles to Prescott | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Nashville to Ontario | Right | 174 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Durango | Left | 14 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Salt Lake City | Right | 14 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Provo | Right | 15 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Boise | Right | 16 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Page | Left | 16 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Pasco | Right | 16 min after takeoff |
| Phoenix to Flagstaff | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | on the way down |
| Salt Lake City to Puerto Vallarta | Right | 51 min after takeoff |
| Salt Lake City to San Jose del Cabo | Right | 51 min after takeoff |
| Salt Lake City to Tucson | Left | 66 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Baltimore | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 43 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Indianapolis | Left | 43 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Washington | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | 44 min after takeoff |
| St. Louis to San Diego | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 164 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Las Vegas | Left (the right side is better for the whole flight) | 227 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 Sedona red rocks from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (16 of 31). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Sedona red rocks 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.
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 Francisco Peaks Meteor Crater Four Peaks Grand Canyon Camelback Mountain Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Denver (DEN) Houston (HOU) Las Vegas (LAS) All routes