Flown

London Gatwick to Catania, Sicily: which side of the plane?

Flying out, sit on the left (seat A) for the Eiger and Jungfrau, the Matterhorn, and Mount Etna; the right side has Paris and Corsica. You may pass straight over Mont Blanc.

What you might see, flying out

Left side · seat A

  1. Lake Genevaabout 1h 10m in
  2. The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 1h 15m in
  3. The Matterhornabout 1h 15m in
  4. Strombolion the way in to land
  5. Mount Etnaon the way in to land

Right side · seat F

  1. Parisabout 30 min in
  2. Corsicaabout 1h 55m in

Straight below

  1. Mont Blancabout 1h 15m in

Leaving London Gatwick (LGW) in the afternoon, the sun is mostly on the right, so the left side is shadier.

Flying home: Catania to Gatwick

Flying home, sit on the right (seat F) for Mount Etna, the Matterhorn, and the Eiger and Jungfrau; the left side has Corsica and Paris. You may pass straight over Mont Blanc.

Left side · seat A

  1. Corsicaabout 1h 05m in
  2. Parisabout 2h 35m in

Right side · seat F

  1. Mount Etnasoon after take-off
  2. Strombolisoon after take-off
  3. The Matterhornabout 1h 45m in
  4. The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 1h 50m in
  5. Lake Genevaabout 1h 55m in

Straight below

  1. Mont Blancabout 1h 50m in

Leaving Catania, Sicily (CTA) 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 3-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.