Best Window Seats for Views

Wing vs Non-Wing Views

The choice between a window seat over the wing and one away from it depends entirely on what you want to see. Wing-adjacent seats (roughly rows 15–25 on a 737, rows 20–35 on a 777) look out over the wing structure — useful for watching flap deployment during approach and seeing fuel venting on long-haul aircraft, but obstructive for landscape photography. Non-wing window seats forward of the wing give you clean downward angles for landscape photography and unobstructed horizon views. Seats behind the wing trailing edge often look out over the engine and exhaust haze.

The front 10 rows of economy on most aircraft offer the clearest views with no wing obstruction. On the Boeing 787, rows 7–12 window seats are particularly prized for unobstructed sky-to-ground visibility.

787 Larger Windows

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has the largest windows of any commercial aircraft currently in service. At 11 inches tall by 19 inches wide (roughly 65% larger than a 737 window), they are transformative for sightseeing. The electrochromic dimming replaces traditional pull-down shades — five settings from fully transparent to nearly opaque with no mechanical shade. This allows you to dim glare without completely blocking the view.

Critically, the 787 window sill is lower than on most aircraft due to the composite fuselage design, meaning even shorter passengers can see the ground easily without pressing their face against the glass. Airlines flying 787s on scenic routes: Air New Zealand (New Zealand fjords), Norwegian (Scandinavia), United (US national parks overflights in summer).

A350 Windows

The Airbus A350's windows are slightly smaller than the 787's but still larger than legacy widebodies. They measure approximately 11 by 16 inches. The A350 does not use electrochromic dimming — it retains traditional pull-down shades — but the window height and clarity are excellent. Singapore Airlines A350 routes over Central Asia at sunrise or sunset are among the most visually rewarding flights available.

Oversized Windows: Other Notable Aircraft

The Bombardier Q400 turboprop has disproportionately large oval windows relative to its fuselage, making it excellent for low-altitude scenic flights. Porter Airlines in Canada and Horizon Air in the US Pacific Northwest operate Q400s on routes with mountain and coastal scenery. The ATR 72, popular in island-hopping Pacific and Caribbean routes, has smaller windows but flies low enough (under 20,000 feet) that the detail visible below compensates.

The original Boeing 747 upper deck has small porthole-style windows on some configurations, but main deck window seats on the 747-400 and 747-8 are standard size with excellent views — the position high above the wing gives a distinctive panorama.

Photography Tips from Window Seats

• Clean the window: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the inner pane before shooting. Most scratches and haziness come from the outer pane which is inaccessible, but the inner plastic is often smeared.
• Angle to avoid reflection: Press the lens slightly against the window or hold it within 1 cm. This eliminates interior cabin reflections in the frame.
• Golden hour timing: On eastbound overnight flights, the approach into Europe at dawn from the east gives extraordinary light. On westbound evening flights, the sun sets ahead of you and colors are sustained for up to 90 minutes.
• Camera settings: Use a fast shutter speed (1/1000s or faster) to freeze vibration blur. High ISO (3200–6400 on modern sensors) handles low-light mountain overflights.
• Avoid wing obstruction: Book row 10 or earlier on most aircraft, or row 35+ if behind the trailing edge.

Best Routes for Views

Certain routes are reliably spectacular from window seats:

• Auckland to Sydney: New Zealand South Island and Tasman Sea
• Vancouver to Toronto: Canadian Rockies, prairies, Great Lakes
• Kathmandu to Delhi: Himalayan range including Everest visible on clear days
• Santiago to Buenos Aires: Andes mountain crossing (40 minutes)
• Innsbruck approaches: One of the most dramatic instrument approaches in Europe, threading through the Alps
• Queenstown approaches: NZQN descent through the Remarkables mountain range