Flying over Europe: what is below your window, route by route
A European short-haul flight crosses more borders per hour than almost anywhere else: London to Athens passes close to ten countries in under four hours, Amsterdam to Barcelona four. The table below lists what is under the window on six common routes, in order. SkyDot names each country as you cross it, offline, from your phone’s GPS.
By Jahanzaib Akhter, developer of SkyDot
Which countries do common European routes cross?
Each row follows the great circle, the shortest path between the two airports, and lists the countries SkyDot names along it, in order. SkyDot names the nearest town, so a country whose border the track only skims is included.
Air traffic control rarely hands out the exact great circle. Expect a neighbouring country to swap in or out on the day, and the order to reverse on the way home.
Swipe the table sideways for every column →
| Route | Distance | Countries below, in order | Look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Athens | 2,430 km | United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece | The Alps about an hour in, then the Adriatic coast |
| London → Rome | 1,440 km | United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy | The Channel, the western Alps, then the Italian west coast |
| Amsterdam → Barcelona | 1,240 km | Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain | Central France, then the Pyrenees just before the descent |
| Frankfurt → Istanbul | 1,840 km | Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey | The Danube, which the track follows along the Serbia–Romania border |
| Paris → Stockholm | 1,540 km | France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden | The Danish islands and the narrow water into Sweden |
| Dublin → Málaga | 1,870 km | Ireland, United Kingdom, France, open water, Spain | Cornwall, Brittany, then a long stretch of the Bay of Biscay |
Borders arrive fast here
Out of London, a three-hour flight can put the Channel, France, the Alps, northern Italy and the Adriatic under the window in a single sitting. On a US domestic flight of the same length you might cross four or five state lines and nothing else.
That density is what makes the travel log fill quickly in Europe. Fly a handful of city breaks out of Gatwick, Stansted or Luton and the visited-countries map moves faster than a year of long-haul would move it.
- London to Athens
- Up to 10 countries
- Countries to collect
- 195
What SkyDot shows on a European sector
The line on the map names the nearest town with the country and continent, and changes as each border passes. Over the Channel, the North Sea or the Mediterranean it names the water and how far you are from the nearest city. Every country the track crosses is added to your travel log, which is why a few European trips move the world map so quickly.
Numbers sit alongside: altitude, ground speed, heading and time remaining, worked out from GPS rather than from a timetable. The sun almanac tells you which side the sunset is on as you head south in the evening.
Download before you leave the terminal
The free world basemap covers the whole of Europe at a coarse level and is enough to see borders and coastlines. For towns, roads and detail on the descent, download the Europe regional pack, about 120 MB, over airport or home wifi. Look up your flight number at the gate too, since that is the one step that needs a connection.
Then switch on Airplane Mode as the crew asks, leave Location on, and tap Start tracking. The flight saves itself when you land.
- Europe pack
- About 120 MB
- World basemap
- Free
Will the aircraft show you a map?
Usually not. Most of these routes are flown by A320s and 737s with no seatback screen, and several of the largest low-cost airlines have no wifi either, so the window is the only display. Which airline offers what is covered on the airlines without wifi page.
The window seat is often a paid seat selection on low-cost fares. If you want the view and a quick GPS fix, it is usually worth it; the fuselage blocks enough satellite signal that an aisle seat can take several minutes to find a position.
Questions
How many countries does a European flight cross?
Frequently four to ten on a two- to four-hour sector. London to Athens passes close to ten; Amsterdam to Barcelona and London to Rome four each. Short flights and small countries mean a border can arrive every twenty minutes or so.
Which countries do you fly over from London to Athens?
On the great circle: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece, with the Alps about an hour in and the Adriatic coast after that. The routing on the day can swap a neighbouring country in or out.
Does this work on low-cost airlines with no wifi?
Yes, and those are the flights it matters most on, because there is no onboard wifi or seatback screen to show a map. Download the Europe map pack before you board and everything runs from the phone.
Do I need the Europe map pack?
No. The free world basemap shows your position, borders and coastlines anywhere in Europe. The Europe pack adds town and road detail, which is most noticeable on climb-out and descent.
Will it work over the Alps and the Mediterranean?
Yes. GPS coverage is global and the map is stored on the device, so terrain and open water make no difference to whether your position updates.