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MSP → TUS
Which side of the plane to sit from Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport (Minneapolis) to Tucson International Airport (Tucson)?
Right Side of the Plane
The right side offers superior views of the dramatic transition from the Great Plains to the high-altitude peaks of the Southern Rockies and the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains upon descent.
Platte River Valley
The historic transit corridor across Nebraska, following the path of the Oregon Trail.
Front Range Rockies
Distant views of the Colorado Rockies, including the prominent 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak.
Sandia Peak
The massive granite face overlooking Albuquerque, offering incredible depth and shadow detail.
Gila Wilderness
Vast stretches of high-elevation pine forest and deep canyons in western New Mexico.
Santa Catalina Mountains
A spectacular close-up of Mount Lemmon and the Finger Rock formations during the descent into Tucson.
The right side is ideal for afternoon flights to catch the golden hour light hitting the Sandia and Santa Catalina mountain faces. During the descent into TUS, the aircraft often flies parallel to the Santa Catalinas, providing an intimate look at the rugged desert canyons. Keep your camera ready as you pass Albuquerque for the best mountain profiles.
Missouri River Crossing
View the winding Missouri River as the flight path moves from the Midwest into the Great Plains.
Kansas High Plains
Observe the geometric patterns of center-pivot irrigation circles across the vast agricultural landscape.
White Sands National Park
A rare opportunity to see the stark, brilliant white gypsum dunes of New Mexico from high above.
Organ Mountains
Sharp, jagged peaks rising dramatically near Las Cruces, visible during the final third of the flight.
Santa Rita Mountains
Rugged desert ranges south of the Tucson basin, often visible as the aircraft aligns for its final approach.
Sit on the left for morning flights to keep the sun behind you. This side provides the best view of the White Sands gypsum field in southern New Mexico, which appears as a bright white patch in the desert. Watch for the 'Sky Islands'—isolated mountain ranges rising out of the desert floor—as you enter Arizona.
Distance: 2,087 km (1,297 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 2 hrs 47 min
Departure: MSP (44.882, -93.221802)
Arrival: TUS (32.116100311279304, -110.94100189208984)
Route Type: Domestic
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