ATH to JFK: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Spata-Artemida (ATH) to New York (JFK) is a 7,932 km (4,929 mi), roughly 9h 50m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime ATH 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 | Left |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The right side wins on both views and shade, so it is the easy pick here.
Sit on the right. That side gets the clearest run of views, and it is also the shade side, so you avoid glare too. The left side picks up a few islands at departure, but the route belongs to the right overall.
Takeoff
On climbout from ATH, depending on the runway in use, the first useful look is to the right for Euboea about 3 minutes in. The left side catches Aegina, Kea, Kythnos, and Poros very early, but they are brief.
En route
- 29m in← LeftCorfu
About half an hour in, Corfu sits off the left side as a small island shape in the Ionian Sea.
- 1h 11m in← LeftItalian Peninsula
Around 70 minutes in, the Italian Peninsula stays to the left as a broad sweep of land below.
- 1h 15m in← LeftApennines
A few minutes later, the Apennines run along the left like a long mountain spine across Italy.
- 1h 57m inRight →Alps
Just under two hours in, the Alps hold the right side, with the larger range giving way to sharper peaks.
- 2h inRight →Matterhorn
Near 2 hours in, the Matterhorn comes up on the right and feels almost under the aircraft, so it is brief and steep in the window.
- 8h 50m inRight →Bay of Fundy
Late in the flight, the Bay of Fundy appears on the right as the route starts to close in on North America.
Landing
On descent toward JFK, depending on the runway in use, keep to the right for the New York approach. You get the East River, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, and New York City itself on that side.
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 ATH 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 ATH 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 ATH to JFK?
The great-circle distance is 7,932 km (4,929 mi), which works out to roughly 9h 50m 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 should I sit on for ATH to JFK?
Sit on the right. It is the view side and the shade side on this route.
Will I see the Alps on ATH to JFK?
Yes. They are on the right side about 2 hours into the flight, and the Matterhorn comes up there too.