AMS to JFK: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Amsterdam (AMS) to New York (JFK) is a 5,848 km (3,634 mi), roughly 7h 23m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime AMS to JFK departures the sun favors the left side — sit on the right (a window on the right) for shade.
Sun side by season and departure time
| Season | Morning (8 am) | Midday (1 pm) | Evening (6 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Left | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Both | Left | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Left | Both |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Views do not pick a side on this route, so follow the shade side: right.
You get a mixed route on views, so the shade side does the deciding. Sit right for the cooler side of the cabin. The left side still gets the better early landmarks.
Takeoff
On departure, depending on the runway in use, the left side picks up Rotterdam and The Hague within the first few minutes. The right side has Almere and Marken nearby, but the climb is short and the view changes fast.
En route
- 30m in← LeftNottingham
About half an hour in, Nottingham sits on the left. It reads as a clear city shape below the wing.
- 33m in← LeftSheffield
A minute later, Sheffield is also on the left. It comes through as another inland city patch, close enough to notice, not long enough to linger.
- 37m in← LeftManchester
By about 37 minutes in, Manchester is on the left too. You get a quick urban pass before the route swings on.
- 45m in← LeftSnowdon
Around 45 minutes in, Snowdon is on the left. It is a sharp mountain feature, but it passes fairly quickly.
- 5h 19m in← LeftNewfoundland
Near the middle of the ocean crossing, Newfoundland appears on the left about five and a half hours in. It is a distant landfall, not a close-up pass.
- 6h 21m in← LeftBay of Fundy
About 6 hours 20 minutes in, the Bay of Fundy is on the left. You get a broad coastal shape before the final approach.
Landing
On arrival, depending on the runway in use, the right side gets the New York City approach. Brooklyn Bridge, the East River, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island all line up on that side as you come down.
Sides and timings are computed from this route’s geometry. What you actually see depends on weather, air-traffic routing, and the runway in use on the day.
Frequently asked
Which side of the plane avoids the sun from AMS to JFK?
Across typical daytime departures, the sun predominantly hits the left side of the aircraft, so the right side stays shadier. Seat letters start at the left window, so choose the highest window letter (F on narrowbodies, K on many widebodies).
Which side has the sunset views on AMS to JFK flights?
For sunrise or sunset views, sit on the side the table marks as the sun side for your departure time — that is where the light is.
How long is the flight from AMS to JFK?
The great-circle distance is 5,848 km (3,634 mi), which works out to roughly 7h 23m in the air on this westbound routing. Winds and routing move the real block time around that estimate.
Does the date or departure time change the answer?
Yes — that is why the table shows both. The sun's path shifts with the season, and a morning departure can put the glare on the opposite side compared to an evening one. For a specific flight, the calculator samples the sun along the whole route for your exact date and time.
Which side of the plane is better for AMS to JFK?
The right side is better for shade. Views are split, so the route does not give one side the clear edge there.
What can I see on the AMS to JFK flight?
Early on you may see Rotterdam and The Hague on the left, then a run of UK cities and landmarks, and later Newfoundland and the Bay of Fundy on the left before New York on the right at arrival.