The 50 most scenic flights in the US

Ranked by view per hour in the air: the landmark points on the better side after glare, plus any sunset, averaged over the day's departures and divided by flight time, so a short flight past a mountain can beat a long one past many cities. One direction per city pair, the better one.

  1. Newark to New York Left · 81 ★ in about 0h 38mNYC, Newark, NY/NJ Port
  2. Washington to New York Left · 76 ★ in about 1h 03mNYC, National Mall, Brooklyn Bridge
  3. San Jose to Los Angeles Left · 86 ★ in about 1h 15mLA, SF, Salt ponds
  4. Washington to New York Left · 72 ★ in about 1h 05mNYC, National Mall, Brooklyn Bridge
  5. Miami to Sarasota Right · 66 ★ in about 0h 59mMiami, Ft. Lauderdale, PortMiami
  6. New York to Charlottesville Left · 81 ★ in about 1h 15mManhattan, Central Park, National Mall
  7. San Francisco to Los Angeles Left · 81 ★ in about 1h 19mSan Francisco, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
  8. San Francisco to Fresno Either side · 59 ★ in about 0h 56mSF, Oakland, Salt ponds
  9. San Jose to San Diego Left · 86 ★ in about 1h 29mLA, SF, Salt ponds
  10. Las Vegas to Los Angeles Right · 63 ★ in about 1h 06mLos Angeles, Las Vegas Strip
  11. Miami to Gainesville Right · 70 ★ in about 1h 14mMiami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando
  12. Miami to Orlando Right · 56 ★ in about 1h 01mMiami, PortMiami, Gulfstream
  13. Newark to Washington Right · 56 ★ in about 1h 01mNYC, Central Park, Philadelphia
  14. Washington to Hartford Left · 67 ★ in about 1h 16mNYC, DC, Baltimore
  15. San Francisco to Las Vegas Right · 78 ★ in about 1h 29mCharleston Peak, Stanford University, Las Vegas Strip
  16. Los Angeles to Santa Rosa Left · 76 ★ in about 1h 27mSF, Salt ponds, Bay Bridge
  17. San Jose to Orange County Left · 69 ★ in about 1h 20mSF, Salt ponds, San Jose
  18. San Francisco to Palm Springs Left · 77 ★ in about 1h 30mSF, San Gorgonio Mountain, Oakland
  19. Raleigh/Durham to New York Left · 78 ★ in about 1h 31mNYC, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park
  20. Boston to New York Right · 50 ★ in about 1h 00mNYC, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge
  21. New York to Roanoke Left · 72 ★ in about 1h 28mNYC, Central Park, Yankee Stadium
  22. Detroit to New York Left · 81 ★ in about 1h 40mNYC, Brooklyn Bridge, Detroit
  23. Philadelphia to Boston Left · 57 ★ in about 1h 12mNew York City, Philadelphia, Providence
  24. San Francisco to Santa Barbara Right · 54 ★ in about 1h 09mSF, Oakland, Big Sur coast
  25. Phoenix to Santa Rosa Left · 97 ★ in about 2h 05mSF, San Gorgonio Mountain, San Jacinto Peak
  26. San Diego to Santa Rosa Left · 78 ★ in about 1h 41mSF, LA, Salt ponds
  27. Detroit to Buffalo Left · 51 ★ in about 1h 07mDetroit, Niagara Falls, Ford Rouge
  28. Portland to San Jose Left · 83 ★ in about 1h 49mSF, Portland, Mt. Shasta
  29. Newark to Washington Left · 48 ★ in about 1h 03mNYC, Newark, DC
  30. New York to Washington Right · 48 ★ in about 1h 03mNYC, Philadelphia, Verrazzano Bridge
  31. San Francisco to Bakersfield Either side · 50 ★ in about 1h 06mSF, Oakland, Salt ponds
  32. San Francisco to Ontario Left · 62 ★ in about 1h 22mSF, Oakland, Salt ponds
  33. San Francisco to Monterey Right · 45 ★ in about 0h 46mSF, Oakland, Monterey Bay
  34. Detroit to New York Left · 75 ★ in about 1h 41mNYC, Detroit, Central Park
  35. San Jose to Ontario Left · 58 ★ in about 1h 19mSF, Salt ponds, San Gorgonio Mountain
  36. San Jose to Seattle Left · 92 ★ in about 2h 05mMt. Shasta, Crater Lake, SF
  37. Newark to Detroit Right · 72 ★ in about 1h 38mNYC, Lake Erie, Central Park
  38. Miami to Orlando Right · 45 ★ in about 1h 02mMiami, Epcot, PortMiami
  39. San Jose to Boise Left · 75 ★ in about 1h 43mSF, Salt ponds, Lake Tahoe
  40. Newark to Burlington Right · 51 ★ in about 1h 10mNYC, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge
  41. San Francisco to Reno Left · 44 ★ in about 1h 00mSF, Lake Tahoe, Salt ponds
  42. San Jose to Las Vegas Left · 62 ★ in about 1h 25mCharleston Peak, Hoover Dam, Vegas
  43. San Francisco to Seattle Right · 88 ★ in about 2h 03mSan Francisco, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier
  44. Las Vegas to Palm Springs Right · 43 ★ in about 0h 58mVegas, Mojave Desert, Charleston Peak
  45. Los Angeles to St George Right · 57 ★ in about 1h 21mLA, Vegas, Hoover Dam
  46. Newark to White Plains Right · 42 ★ in about 0h 41mNYC, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park
  47. Portland to Seattle Right · 42 ★ in about 0h 53mMt. Rainier, Seattle, Mt. St. Helens
  48. Las Vegas to San Diego Right · 48 ★ in about 1h 09mVegas, Mojave Desert, Charleston Peak
  49. San Francisco to Redmond Right · 65 ★ in about 1h 35mSF, Mt. Shasta, Crater Lake
  50. New York to Columbia Left · 78 ★ in about 1h 55mManhattan, Central Park, National Mall

From 2,762 US routes. Tap a route for its side by time of day.

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