BOS to ORD: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Boston (BOS) to Chicago (ORD) is a 1,391 km (864 mi), roughly 2h 8m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime BOS to ORD 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
Right side wins for both the views and the shade.
Sit on the right side. It gets the better views and the shade on this westbound hop. You leave Boston with water on one side, then spend much of the middle of the flight looking toward the Great Lakes corridor.
Takeoff
Depending on the runway in use, the climb starts with Massachusetts Bay off the right side. Boston passes almost under you, so the first few moments feel tight and fast. About 6 minutes in, Worcester and Lake Chaubunagungamaug sit to the left, with Lake Chaubunagungamaug appearing briefly as you gain height.
En route
- 23m inRight →Adirondack Mountains
About 23 minutes in, the Adirondack Mountains are off the right side. You get a broad mountain outline, not a close pass.
- 50m inRight →Rochester
Around 50 minutes in, Rochester is on the right. It reads as a compact city patch rather than a detailed skyline.
- 53m inRight →Lake Ontario
A few minutes later, Lake Ontario stays to the right. From cruise altitude it looks like a wide blue sheet.
- 1h 01m inRight →Niagara Falls
Around an hour in, Niagara Falls is on the right. It is a brief side view, not a long linger.
- 1h 35m in← LeftToledo
Near 95 minutes in, Toledo sits to the left as the route pushes toward the Chicago area.
Landing
Depending on the runway in use, Chicago comes up almost under the left side about 2 hours in, so keep your eyes there for the approach. Milwaukee stays off to the right a minute later. The right side still gives you the better shade 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 BOS to ORD?
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 BOS to ORD 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 BOS to ORD?
The great-circle distance is 1,391 km (864 mi), which works out to roughly 2h 8m 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 from BOS to ORD?
Sit on the right. It is the shade side, and it also gets the better views on this route.
What will I see on this BOS to ORD flight?
You get Boston and Massachusetts Bay at departure, then a run past the Adirondacks, Rochester, Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls, and the Chicago approach near the end.