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SFO → ORD
Which side of the plane to sit from San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (Chicago)?
Left Side of the Plane
The left side (North) provides the most iconic geographic landmarks, including the best views of Lake Tahoe, the Great Salt Lake, and the most favorable positioning for the Chicago skyline during standard arrival patterns.
Search flights from SFO to ORD
San Francisco Bay
Bird's-eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Marin Headlands immediately after takeoff.
Lake Tahoe
The striking blue waters of the Sierra Nevada's largest alpine lake are typically visible 30 minutes into the flight.
Great Salt Lake
Vibrant turquoise and pink hues of the salt-rich waters contrasting against the stark white salt flats.
Northern Rockies
Dramatic views of the Medicine Bow Mountains and the rugged peaks of the Wyoming-Colorado border.
Mississippi River
The massive waterway snaking through the landscape near the border of Iowa and Illinois.
Chicago Skyline
Primary views of the Willis Tower and Lake Michigan as the plane enters the downwind leg for ORD arrival.
Sit on the left to avoid direct glare from the sun on eastbound flights during the day. This side is superior for photography of the Great Salt Lake. For the Chicago skyline, keep your window shade up as soon as you begin the descent over Illinois; if the flight approaches from the east over the lake, you will have a front-row seat to the city.
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Yosemite High Sierra
Aerial perspective of the jagged granite peaks and glacial valleys of the central Sierra Nevada range.
Great Basin Desert
The 'basin and range' topography of Nevada, showing endless parallel mountain ridges and desert valleys.
Colorado Front Range
Clear views of the mountain-to-plain transition near Denver if the flight path tracks slightly south.
The Heartland
The intricate 'patchwork quilt' of circular irrigation patterns and farmland across Nebraska.
Chicago Suburbs
Detailed views of the sprawling metropolitan grid and the massive rail yards of the Midwest.
The right side offers great views of the Sierra peaks, but be prepared for intense sunlight throughout the journey. This side is excellent for seeing the shadow of the plane on the clouds during afternoon flights. On the final approach into O'Hare, you will often get a close-up look at the intricate highway interchanges and the massive scale of the airport itself.
Book Hotels in ChicagoDistance: 2,964 km (1,842 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 3 hrs 57 min
Departure: SFO (37.61899948120117, -122.375)
Arrival: ORD (41.9786, -87.9048)
Route Type: Domestic
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