I will be flying to/form LGW on a transatlantic flight. Which side of the plane should I sit on to get a view of London when the plane lands/takes off? Thanks in advance.

Interesting question - one would think the left side if the plane goes straight over London suburbs.

PalQ thanks for your response, are you referring to an arriving or departing flight? I have heard from some of my freinds that they have had great views of London on flights to/from Heathrow airport. I would love to see London from the air if possible when flying to/from Gatwick.

Arriving, would be contrary on taking off i think. But planes may not land in a straight line or may take off to the south - i'm not sure just seems a logical answer if they fly fairly straight in. hope someone else is more precise in this knowledge - like a pilot!

Gatwick is south of london, so 'if' your plane flew over central London on its flight path (and I couldn't tell you if it did) then I guess it makes sense that the view would be LEFT side on arrival at Gatwick and RIGHT side on departure.

I don't know if these sites will help you:
www.baa.com
www.gatwickairport.com

It may literally depend on which way the wind is blowing and what direction the plane actually takes off in.

I doubt it would really make much difference; I think Gatwick is too far from the city to see much of anything (maybe if it was a really clear day, and then it would depend on the wind).

Yes, you heard right that it's a LHR descent over central London that gets the top views. I am struggling to think of any approach to a city I have been to that is consistently as good as this one into LHR. On the odd occasion I have approached from the other side and had a cracking view over Windsor.

Gatwick however is a different story. I can't recall any London views on taking-off or landing at LGW, even approaching or heading north. Plenty of views of the south London suburbs on these flights which looks promising. Many a time, we have been above clouds by the time I thought we would be nearing the centre of London.

Reagan into DC might give it a run for its money; comes in straight down the Potomac, past the Mall and everything.

Looking at the approach plate for LGW, I see that arrivals fly final approach courses of 098°, 196°, 256°, and 311°.

The only course that promises any views of Big Ben is the 196°, and passes to the east of London - so you would want to be seated on the right side.

(None of this accounts for where ATC might vector a flight before committing it to a final approach. That's pretty much a crapshoot.)

On Heathrow flights you often get a swell view of Windsor Castle if when departing you sit on the right side of the plane - i've often seen it in all its majesty. But now to think i agree that Gatwick, 30 some miles south of London may not yield views to worry about which side of plane to be on - in fact seems they may skim the southern coast in which more delectable views would be on right side, views of coast.

I've never seen anything of London arriving or departing Gatwick.

What IS sometimes a shock, if you've been out of England for a few months, is the Sussex countryside. Although, driving around Gatwick on the ground feels really pretty suburban, from the air it looks astonishingly green, hedge-y, rural and almost timeless. Well, it's obviously the result of Enclosures and therefore must be post-Tudor, but who's being pedantic?

The view's the same on either side of the plane.

As I said earlier, it depends on which way the wind is blowing..thank you for confirming this, Robespierre.