DEN to LGA: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Denver (DEN) to New York (LGA) is a 2,600 km (1,616 mi), roughly 3h 34m eastbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime DEN to LGA 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 | Right | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Both | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Right | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Left side wins on both views and shade.
Sit left for this eastbound trip. The left side gets the better views, and it is also the shady side for most of the flight.
Takeoff
After takeoff from DEN, depending on the runway in use, Denver and Aurora sit to your right as you climb out.
En route
- 56m inRight →Lincoln · passes underneath
About an hour in, Lincoln comes up on your right and nearly under you. It is a quick, steep look, not a long one.
- 1h 02m in← LeftOmaha
Omaha is on your left about an hour into the flight. You get a clean side-window view as the city slides past.
- 1h 59m in← LeftChicago
Around two hours in, Chicago stays on your left. It is the big urban view on this route.
- 2h 30m in← LeftDetroit
Not long after that, Detroit is also on your left. Lake Saint Clair is nearby in the same stretch, but the city is the easier mark to catch.
- 2h 57m in← LeftNiagara Falls
Later in the flight, Niagara Falls is on your left. It sits far off the track, so think distant sighting rather than a close pass.
Landing
On approach to LGA, depending on the runway in use, Long Island comes into view on your left. Near the end, New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge are on your right, with the East River briefly almost under you.
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 DEN to LGA?
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 DEN to LGA 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 DEN to LGA?
The great-circle distance is 2,600 km (1,616 mi), which works out to roughly 3h 34m in the air on this eastbound 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 DEN to LGA?
Sit on the left. It has the better views, and it is also the shade side.
What will I see on the DEN to LGA flight?
You get a mix of Midwest city passes in cruise, then New York-area views on descent. The left side is the stronger side overall.