Which Side of the Plane to Sit On Flying Into Montego Bay

For most flights coming from the United States or Canada, the left side of the plane, facing the front, gives you the better view coming into Montego Bay. The coast, the resorts and the town slide by on that side while the plane lines up low over the water. It is not a promise though. The wind decides which way planes land on any given day, so the view can swap sides. If you want the safest bet, book a window seat a few rows ahead of the wing on the left, and keep your phone charged and ready.

Which side of the plane is best flying into Montego Bay?

Short version: the left side wins more often than not, but not every time. Sangster International sits right on the coast, and its single runway runs roughly east to west along the water. Planes usually come in low over the sea before touching down, so for a while both sides are looking at nothing but blue. The difference is in the last couple of minutes. On a typical arrival, the left side looks out over the coastline, the beaches and the town while the right side is still facing open water until the final seconds.

If you are flying in from the north, which is most North American routes, the island comes up ahead of you and the plane curves in along the coast. That curve is what puts the good stuff on the left for most people. Travelers argue about this on the forums for good reason, because plenty of folks have sat on the right and had a lovely view too. It depends on the day.

Why does the view change from flight to flight?

Planes take off and land into the wind, and the wind here shifts. Montego Bay has one runway, so the same strip of tarmac gets used in both directions depending on conditions. Land one way and the town is on your left. Land the other way and it is on your right. Nobody can tell you for certain the night before, not even the pilots, because it comes down to the weather at your arrival time.

Cloud cover matters too. Some afternoons the hills behind town are socked in and you mostly see sea and beach. Clear mornings give you the full picture, water, reef, coastline and the green mountains behind. This is part of why we tell guests not to stress too hard over the seat. A window is a window, and the water is the star from either side.

Where should you actually sit?

Get a window seat forward of the wing. The wing and engine block the view for everybody sitting over the middle of the plane, so those rows are the ones to skip if the view is what you care about. A few rows ahead of the wing, on the left, is the sweet spot. Aisle lovers, this is the one flight to give up the aisle for.

A few small things help once you are up there. Wipe the window with your sleeve before descent, because these windows get hazy. Turn off your flash so it does not bounce back at you. Start filming a minute or two before you feel the plane drop, since the best stretch of coast goes by faster than you expect.

What will you see on the way down?

The color of the water is the thing everyone remembers. The approach runs low over the sea, so you get the turquoise shallows and the darker reef line up close, not from miles up. Closer in you pick out the beaches and resorts along the Hip Strip, the boats sitting in the bay, and Doctor's Cave curving along the shore. Behind all of it the hills climb up green and steep. The airport itself sits right at the edge of the water, so the last thing you see before the wheels touch is the sea almost level with your window. It is a good first look at the island.

What happens after you land?

You will walk off, clear immigration, pick up your bags and pass through customs, then come out into the arrivals hall where the drivers wait. That is where we take over. Our driver is there with your name on a sign, cold water and the AC running, so you go straight from the plane to a comfortable ride instead of hunting for a taxi in the heat.

From the airport we run people out to Montego Bay in a few minutes, or on to Negril and Ocho Rios in about ninety minutes to two hours, and to Kingston when that is where you are headed. We watch your flight, so if you land late or early the driver is still there. Sort your ride before you fly and the only thing left to plan is which window seat to grab.

Ready when you are. Book your private airport transfers ahead of time, and if you want to fill your days here too, you can book a tour in the same place.