Most Beautiful Cities From the Air (shop, airports, land)

[Dawn.Davenport]

What city is the most beautiful from the air? Which air routes offer the most dramatic scenery during takeoff or landing?

I love flying into BWI from the east, seeing all of the boats in the bay before giving way to the forests surrounding the city of Baltimore. My second favorite would be the view of Toronto when taking off over the lake from Billy Bishop Airport.

My least favorites are Denver, Oklahoma City, and Ontario, California.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Seattle! It's stunning from an aerial point of view with all the green landscapes, bodies of water, and surrounding glacier covered volcanic mountains.

Landing in Boston is pretty cool too with all the peninsulas, bays, harbors, and islands around Massachusetts Bay approaching Logan Airport.

Landing in Hawaii after flying for 5 hours over the Pacific is quite the spectacle as well.

[rnc2mbfl]

Landing from the east or taking off towards the east from MIA is pretty spectacular, especially if one is sitting on the south side of the plane.

[EricNorthman]

I like flying in and out of Salt Lake during the winter. The mountains are huge and so beautiful when covered in snow. Nice in summer too.

[JerseyGirl415]

My friend took stunning pictures of Manhattan at night from a plane taking off from either LaGuardia or JFK. They were truly stunning, I've honestly never seen better aerial night shots of the city especially taken at night.

[Dawn.Davenport]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl415

My friend took stunning pictures of Manhattan at night from a plane taking off from either LaGuardia or JFK. They were truly stunning, I've honestly never seen better aerial night shots of the city especially taken at night.

I've only ever flown into Newark, which is nice, but nothing like LaGuardia from what I've heard.

[JerseyGirl415]

Originally Posted by Dawn.Davenport

I've only ever flown into Newark, which is nice, but nothing like LaGuardia from what I've heard.

Flying into Newark, you obviously land before you hit the city since Newark is about 10 miles west of NYC. Flying into LaGuardia you fly right over the city, giving you those views from right above. Newark can give you nice city views but not like those going west to east right over Manhattan. JFK, not as good I'd bet because it's south(east) of Manhattan while LaGuardia is directly east so I think LaGuardia will give you the best views flying into NYC from the west or south.

I've only ever flown to and from Newark, as well. I only go by word of my friend who is from California and frequently goes back and forth. She's gone through all three airports multiple times but the only time she's ever shared pictures of the aerial view is that time from LaGuardia.

I was unsure in my first post if it was LaGuardia or JFK but it was definitely LaGuardia.

[ABQConvict]

I am not a hyper urban, skyscraper loving person, but flying into LGA from the south when the sun is low in the sky, Manhattan is just freaking amazing looking. I would challenge the most urban hating, NYC despising person in the world to not admit that it is a spectacular sight to have that island and its buildings laid out before you.

[Hawaii4evr]

LA, San Diego, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Washington DC.

[kyle19125]

I agree with Manhattan/NYC and would also add Washington DC if utilizing the approach into Reagan National from the west, which swoops in over the Potomac River (and if sitting on the left side of the plane) offers an amazing panorama of the White House, monuments, Capitol Building, etc.