Seeing Willis Tower from a plane
At 1,451 ft, America's tallest building for decades. Look for the black tower of stepped boxes rising above Chicago's Loop.
11 of our routes pass it. Illinois · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
St. Louis to Chicago: sit on the right, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Dallas-Fort Worth to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Fort Lauderdale to Chicago | Left | on the way down |
| Houston to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Houston to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Kansas City to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Kansas City to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| Las Vegas to Chicago | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| Phoenix to Chicago | Right | on the way down |
| San Diego to Chicago | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the way down |
| St. Louis to Chicago | 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.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Willis Tower from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (10 of 11). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Willis Tower 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 Willis Tower 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
Navy Pier United Center Chicago Rate Field Wrigley Field Dallas (DAL) Chicago (MDW) Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Chicago (ORD) All routes