Described is a technology by which a more optimal map view with respect to route information is returned in response to an online mapping request. A start or end location is positioned away from the map center as appropriate to show as much route information as possible within the map view, given view size and zoom constraints. In one example, various-sized bounding boxes that contain the start or end location and one or more routes may be evaluated to determine a largest bounding box that meets the mapping size constraint; the center of that bounding box is the center of the map view. In one alternative, map views at various zoom levels may be scored against one another to determine which map view contains the most important route information, such as the most maneuver points and/or landmarks within each map view; the map view with the best score is returned.