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OAK → SLC
Which side of the plane to sit from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (Oakland) to Salt Lake City International Airport (Salt Lake City)?
Left Side of the Plane
The left side provides the most iconic views of Lake Tahoe and the stunning turquoise-to-deep-blue gradients of the Great Salt Lake during the descent into Utah.
Search flights from OAK to SLC
San Francisco Bay
Aerial perspective of the East Bay shoreline and the bridges connecting Oakland to the peninsula.
Lake Tahoe
Spectacular views of the cobalt-blue lake nestled in the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains.
Great Basin Desert
A repetitive pattern of parallel mountain ranges and dry valleys stretching across Nevada.
Great Salt Lake
Dramatic color contrasts created by different salinity levels, separated by the Lucin Cutoff railroad causeway.
Antelope Island
The largest island in the Great Salt Lake, often visible during the final turn toward the runway.
Book a seat in the front of the cabin to avoid wing obstruction. On morning flights, this side is shaded, which minimizes glare on the window and allows for much crisper photos of the Sierra Nevada. Keep your camera ready about 40 minutes into the flight for the best Tahoe views.
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Mount Diablo
The prominent 3,849-foot summit dominates the landscape shortly after takeoff from Oakland.
High Sierra & Yosemite
Distant but majestic views of the northern section of Yosemite National Park and the high peaks to the south.
Mono Lake
The circular shape of this ancient saline lake is easily identifiable in the high desert of California.
Bonneville Salt Flats
A massive, blindingly white expanse of salt crust near the Nevada-Utah border, famous for land speed records.
Salt Lake City Skyline
Views of the downtown skyscrapers and the State Capitol if the plane approaches SLC from the north.
The right side is ideal for late afternoon or sunset flights, as the 'golden hour' light hits the Wasatch Mountains and the Bonneville Salt Flats perfectly. Look south as you cross the Sierras to spot the rugged granite peaks of the Yosemite wilderness in the distance.
Book Hotels in Salt Lake CityDistance: 945 km (587 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 1 hr 35 min
Departure: OAK (37.721298, -122.221001)
Arrival: SLC (40.78839874267578, -111.97799682617188)
Route Type: Domestic
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