Seeing Sunshine Skyway Bridge from a plane
Photo: Robert Neff, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Rebuilt after a freighter knocked down the old span in 1980, killing 35 people. Look for the bright yellow cables fanning from its central towers high over the mouth of Tampa Bay.
10 of our routes pass it. Florida
The easy pick
Tampa to Fort Lauderdale: sit on the right, on the climb, 7 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Sarasota | Left | on the way down |
| Chicago to Sarasota | Left | on the way down |
| Dallas to Tampa | Right | on the way down |
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Sarasota | Left | on the way down |
| New York to Sarasota | Right | on the way down |
| Philadelphia to Sarasota | Right | on the way down |
| Tampa to Fort Lauderdale | Right | on the climb, 7 min after takeoff |
| Tampa to Georgetown | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | on the climb, 7 min after takeoff |
| Tampa to Bogota | Right (the left side is better for the whole flight) | on the climb, 8 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Sarasota | Right | 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. 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 Sunshine Skyway Bridge from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (7 of 10). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Sunshine Skyway Bridge 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
Tropicana Field Benchmark International Arena Tampa Tampa International Airport Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Chicago (MDW) Chicago (ORD) Dallas (DAL) Tampa (TPA) All routes