BOS to KEF: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Boston (BOS) to Reykjavík (KEF) is a 3,875 km (2,408 mi), roughly 5h 3m northbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime BOS to KEF departures the sun favors the right side — sit on the left (an A seat) for shade.
Sun side by season and departure time
| Season | Morning (8 am) | Midday (1 pm) | Evening (6 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Both | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Views are balanced, so they do not decide this one. Sit on the left for shade.
This route does not really pick a views side. You get a mix on both sides, so the shade call matters more: left is the quieter side for sun, right gets more of it. In daylight, you still get a solid run of coastal and island views.
Takeoff
Just after departure from BOS, depending on the runway in use, Boston can sit almost under you on the left. A minute later, Massachusetts Bay is off to the right as you climb out.
En route
- 29m inRight →Gulf of Maine
About half an hour in, the Gulf of Maine is on the right. It reads as open water stretching away from the coast.
- 33m in← LeftKatahdin
A few minutes later, Katahdin is on the left. You get a lone mountain profile rather than a wide range.
- 38m inRight →Bay of Fundy
Around 40 minutes in, the Bay of Fundy stays to the right. It is a broad water shape, not a close-up shoreline view.
- 1h 19m inRight →Anticosti Island · passes underneath
Near the 80-minute mark, Anticosti Island passes very close on the right. It is the brief, almost-under-the-wing kind of sighting.
- 3h 29m in← LeftCape Farewell
Just past the three-and-a-half-hour point, Cape Farewell is off to the left. By then, you are deep into the North Atlantic leg.
Landing
On descent into KEF, depending on the runway in use, Þingvallavatn comes in on the left while Fagradalsfjall, Hengill, and Reykjanes line up on the right. Esja also sits to the left, so both sides have something to watch as you come in.
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 BOS to KEF?
Across typical daytime departures, the sun predominantly hits the right side of the aircraft, so the left side stays shadier. Seat letters start at the left window, so choose an A seat.
Which side has the sunset views on BOS to KEF flights?
For sunset views, flip the advice: on evening departures the sun sits on the left side of this route, so that is the side with the show.
How long is the flight from BOS to KEF?
The great-circle distance is 3,875 km (2,408 mi), which works out to roughly 5h 3m in the air on this northbound 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 from BOS to KEF?
Sit on the left. Views are split, but the left side is the shade side on this route.
What views do you get on the BOS to KEF flight?
You see a mix of water, coast, and a few landforms on both sides, including Boston at departure, then Anticosti Island and Cape Farewell en route.