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Denver → Las Vegas

DEN–LAS · Denver International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport

Best bet

Either side

Both sides workThe two sides come out close to level.

Both sides have something going for them, and the totals come out close enough that picking one would be a coin flip with extra steps.

Flight paths move around. Treat this as the better bet, not a promise.

What you might see

In flight order, with distance measured from the representative route.

DEN to LAS: where each landmark sits relative to the routeA diagram of the representative route running left to right, with the departure airport at the left and the arrival airport at the right. Landmarks on the left side of the aircraft are plotted above the route line and landmarks on the right side below it, each at its distance from the route. The numbered list below this diagram carries the same information as text.DENLASLEFT SIDERIGHT SIDE1234567891011
Distance from the route is to scale (up to 55 miles); the shaded ends are the 40-mile zones around each airport where the runway in use decides the view. Numbers match the list below. Hollow markers didn't count toward the recommendation.

  1. Maroon Bells

    Either sideQuarter in4 mi off the route

    Maroon Bells passes almost directly beneath about a quarter of the way in, which is the one place a window seat can't help you.

    Good possibility

  2. Canyonlands

    Either sideHalfway2 mi off the route

    Canyonlands passes almost directly beneath around the halfway mark, which is the one place a window seat can't help you.

    Strong candidate

  3. Zion National Park

    RightThree quarters14 mi off the route

    Zion National Park is about 14 miles off the right, about three quarters of the way.

    Good possibility

  4. Lake Mead

    LeftNear the end9 mi off the route

    Late in the flight, Lake Mead sits roughly 9 miles to the left.

    Good possibility

Show 7 more along the way (Longs Peak, Mount Elbert, San Juan Mountains, Arches National Park, Capitol Reef, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon)

Further off the route, closer to an airport, or both. Still in flight order, still numbered to match the diagram.

  1. Longs Peak

    RightEarly44 mi off the route

    Longs Peak is about 44 miles off the right, early in the flight.

    Distant possibility

  2. Mount Elbert

    LeftQuarter in13 mi off the route

    About a quarter of the way in, Mount Elbert sits roughly 13 miles to the left.

    Good possibility

  3. San Juan Mountains

    LeftQuarter in55 mi off the route

    San Juan Mountains is about 55 miles off the left, about a quarter of the way in.

    Distant possibility

  4. Arches National Park

    RightHalfway29 mi off the route

    Around the halfway mark, Arches National Park sits roughly 29 miles to the right.

    Distant possibility

  5. Capitol Reef

    RightHalfway33 mi off the route

    Capitol Reef is about 33 miles off the right, around the halfway mark.

    Distant possibility

  6. Lake Powell

    LeftThree quarters39 mi off the route

    About three quarters of the way, Lake Powell sits roughly 39 miles to the left.

    Distant possibility

  7. Bryce Canyon

    RightThree quarters22 mi off the route

    Look right about three quarters of the way for Bryce Canyon, about 22 miles out.

    Distant possibility

The sun

Flying soon? Add your date and departure time and we'll work out where the sun should be, and which side gets less of it.

Airport codes or city names. SEA, Seattle, and Seattle-Tacoma all work.

Skip the date and you still get the landmark answer. Add it and we work out where the sun will be, using the departure airport's local time.

The route we used

627 mi
Great-circle distance
9
Landmarks that counted

That is the shortest path between the two airports, used as a representative corridor rather than a flight plan. The first and last 40 miles are treated as uncertain, because that part of the flight is shaped by the runway in use and the published departure or arrival procedure. Anything in those zones is listed and marked, never counted toward the recommendation.

Left and right, from where?

Left and right are from your perspective sitting in the cabin, facing the front of the aircraft. Seat letters are not a reliable guide to which side you are on, because aircraft are configured differently.

Why this isn't guaranteed

Flights don't follow the same path every day. Runway configuration, weather deviations, traffic, and air traffic control all move the track around, and none of it is knowable in advance. We also have nothing to say about cloud cover, which is the other thing standing between you and Mount Rainier. The full method.

Flying the other way?

Las Vegas → DenverEither side

Calculated from scratch, not by flipping this one. The landmarks arrive in the opposite order, the sun is somewhere else entirely, and the answer changes with them.

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