Seeing Washington from a plane
Laid out in 1791 by Pierre L'Enfant with diagonal avenues over a grid. Look for the National Mall, a 2-mile green strip from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument as a white needle.
4 of our routes pass it. District of Columbia · rated 3 of 10
The easy pick
Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale: sit on the right, on the climb, 1 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale | Right | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Baltimore to Miami | Right | on the climb, 6 min after takeoff |
| Washington to Dallas-Fort Worth | Right | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| Washington to London | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 8 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 Washington from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (4 of 4). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Washington 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 Washington 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
Washington DC Mall The Pentagon Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Northwest Stadium Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Baltimore (BWI) Fort Lauderdale (FLL) Miami (MIA) Washington (DCA) All routes