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LWB destination photo
IAD destination photo

LWBIAD

Our Recommendation
8.5

Right Side of the Plane

The right side provides the most dramatic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the expansive Shenandoah National Park, including the winding Skyline Drive.

Right Side Highlights
8.5
🏞️

Shenandoah National Park

Sweeping views of the federally protected wilderness area and the peaks of the Blue Ridge.

🛣️

Skyline Drive

The iconic scenic highway is visible as a winding thread along the very crest of the mountain range.

⛰️

Massanutten Mountain

A unique, isolated mountain ridge with a distinct internal valley that sits in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley.

🐎

Virginia Piedmont

Rolling hills and vast equestrian estates near Middleburg as the plane descends into the DC metro area.

✈️

Udvar-Hazy Center

The massive Smithsonian Air and Space Museum hangar is often visible just south of the Dulles runways during final approach.

The right side is the 'scenic' choice for this route. In autumn, the foliage on the Blue Ridge is spectacular from this side. On the final approach to IAD, look for the Manassas National Battlefield Park and the distinct architecture of the Dulles airport terminals.

Left Side Highlights
7.2
🌲

Monongahela National Forest

Dense, high-altitude hardwood forests and rugged ridges of the Allegheny Mountains immediately after takeoff.

⛰️

Great North Mountain

A long, continuous mountain ridge that defines the border between West Virginia and Virginia.

🌾

Northern Shenandoah Valley

A scenic patchwork of agricultural fields and small historic towns stretching toward the Potomac.

💧

Shenandoah River

The North Fork of the river snakes through the valley floor in tight, silver ribbons.

Choose the left side for morning flights to keep the sun behind you for better photography. It offers excellent views of the deep Allegheny topography and the transition from West Virginia highlands to the Virginia valley floor.

Top Activities in Washington
Route Information

Distance: 284 km (176 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 28 min

Departure: LWB (37.8582992554, -80.3994979858)

Arrival: IAD (38.94449997, -77.45580292)

Route Type: Domestic

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