Flown

Manchester to Heraklion, Crete: which side of the plane?

Flying out, both sides have something: the left (seat A) for the Zugspitze and the Grossglockner, the right (seat F) for the Eiger and Jungfrau, and Crete. You may pass straight over the Dolomites.

Flying from London Stansted instead? You pass much the same things, on the same sides.

What you might see, flying out

Left side · seat A

  1. The Zugspitzeabout 1h 45m in
  2. The Grossglocknerabout 1h 55m in
  3. Mount Olympusabout 3h 30m in

Right side · seat F

  1. The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 1h 35m in
  2. Veniceabout 2h 00m in
  3. Corfuabout 3h 25m in
  4. Creteon the way in to land

Straight below

  1. The Dolomitesabout 1h 55m in

Leaving Manchester (MAN), 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 Manchester

Flying home, both sides have something: the left (seat A) for Crete, and the Eiger and Jungfrau, the right (seat F) for Mount Olympus and the Grossglockner. You may pass straight over the Dolomites.

Left side · seat A

  1. Cretesoon after take-off
  2. Corfuabout 1h 00m in
  3. Veniceabout 2h 20m in
  4. The Eiger and Jungfrauabout 2h 50m in

Right side · seat F

  1. Mount Olympusabout 50 min in
  2. The Grossglocknerabout 2h 30m in
  3. The Zugspitzeabout 2h 40m in

Straight below

  1. The Dolomitesabout 2h 30m 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.