Loading map...
CTU → DIG
Which side of the plane to sit from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (Chengdu) to Diqing Airport (Shangri-La)?
Left Side of the Plane
The left side offers a front-row seat to the Minya Konka (Gongga Shan) massif, the highest peak in Sichuan, and the dramatic transition from the Sichuan Basin to the Tibetan Plateau.
Search flights from CTU to DIG
Minya Konka (Gongga Shan)
The 'King of Sichuan Mountains' standing at 7,556 meters, visible as a massive white pyramid above the clouds.
Dadu River Valley
A deep, winding river gorge cutting through the rugged Daxue Mountain range.
Hailuogou Glacier
Low-altitude glaciers flowing down the eastern slopes of the Gongga massif.
Kangding City
The historic gateway to the Tibetan world tucked into a narrow mountain valley.
Basin-to-Plateau Step
Watch the land rise abruptly from the flat Chengdu plains to the 4,000-meter peaks.
Book a window seat well ahead of the wing. For morning flights, the left side provides the best lighting on the eastern faces of the mountains. Look out approximately 20-25 minutes after departure from CTU. Winter and late autumn offer the clearest visibility of the snow-capped peaks.
Get eSIMs for China
Get eSIMs for China
Mount Siguniang
The 'Four Sisters Mountain' with its iconic sharp peaks visible to the north.
Wolong Valleys
Lush, forested valleys that serve as the primary habitat for wild giant pandas.
Jinsha River Bends
The upper reaches of the Yangtze River carving deep U-shaped turns through the terrain.
High Tibetan Plateau
Vast, high-altitude grasslands stretching toward the horizon as the flight nears Shangri-La.
The right side is exceptional for late afternoon flights, catching the golden hour glow on the Siguniang range. As the plane descends into Diqing, look for the deep gorges of the Jinsha River. Polarized sunglasses are highly recommended to cut through the high-altitude haze and glare.
Book Hotels in Shangri-LaDistance: 517 km (321 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 52 min
Departure: CTU (30.578500747680664, 103.9469985961914)
Arrival: DIG (27.7936, 99.6772)
Route Type: Domestic
Thank you for booking your travels through our travel partners. The commissions from your bookings keep this site running.