FlownBirmingham to Heraklion, Crete: which side of the plane?
Flying out, both sides have something: the left (seat A) for the Zugspitze and the Dolomites, the right (seat F) for the Eiger and Jungfrau, and Crete. You may pass straight over the White Cliffs of Dover.
Flying from London Luton instead? You pass much the same things, on the same sides.
- RouteBHX → HER
- Distance1,769 miles (2,847 km) direct
- Flight timeroughly 4¼ hours
What you might see, flying out
Left side · seat A
- The Zugspitzeabout 1h 35m in
- The Dolomitesabout 1h 45m in
- The Grossglocknerabout 1h 45m in
Right side · seat F
- Londonsoon after take-off
- The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 1h 25m in
- Veniceabout 1h 55m in
- Corfuabout 3h 15m in
- Creteon the way in to land
Straight below
- The White Cliffs of Doverabout 25 min in
Leaving Birmingham (BHX), the sun is mostly on the right in the morning and the afternoon alike, so the left side is shadier.
Flying home: Crete (Heraklion) to Birmingham
Flying home, both sides have something: the left (seat A) for Crete, and the Eiger and Jungfrau, the right (seat F) for the Dolomites and the Grossglockner. You may pass straight over the White Cliffs of Dover.
Left side · seat A
- Cretesoon after take-off
- Corfuabout 1h 00m in
- Veniceabout 2h 20m in
- The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 2h 50m in
- Londonon the way in to land
Right side · seat F
- The Dolomitesabout 2h 30m in
- The Grossglocknerabout 2h 30m in
- The Zugspitzeabout 2h 40m in
Straight below
- The White Cliffs of Doverabout 3h 50m in
Leaving Heraklion, Crete (HER) in the afternoon, the sun is mostly on the left, so the right side is shadier.
Worked out along the direct (great-circle) route between the two airports. Real flights follow airways, winds and air traffic control, often tens of miles either side of it, so these are likely rather than certain, and clouds permitting. Times assume a typical 4¼-hour flight. Seat letters are for the window: A on the left; on the right, F on most single-aisle jets and K on most wide-bodies.