Seeing The Pentagon from a plane
One of the world's largest office buildings, built in about 16 months during World War II, with five rings and some 17 miles of corridors. Look for the five-sided shape beside I-395, just north of Reagan National.
9 of our routes pass it. Virginia · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
Washington to New York: sit on the left, on the climb, 0 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Washington to Nashville | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 0 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Houston | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 0 min after takeoff |
| Washington to New York | Left | on the climb, 0 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Atlanta | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Boston | Left | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Dallas-Fort Worth | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Orlando | Left | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Miami | Left the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Chicago | Left | on the climb, 1 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 The Pentagon from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (9 of 9). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see The Pentagon 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 The Pentagon 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
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Washington DC Mall Washington Northwest Stadium Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Washington (DCA) Nashville (BNA) Houston (IAH) New York (LGA) All routes