EWR to LAX: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX) is a 3,941 km (2,449 mi), roughly 5h 8m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime EWR to LAX 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 | Both |
| June solstice | Left | Left | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Left | Both |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Right side wins on both views and shade, so that’s the easy pick for this flight.
Sit on the right. The view side and the shade side are the same here, so you get the better window and less glare.
Takeoff
After takeoff from EWR, depending on the runway in use, the right side gets the early New York show. You can catch Long Island, the East River, the George Washington Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Harlem River as the plane climbs.
En route
- 45m inRight →Lake Erie
About 45 minutes in, Lake Erie stretches out on the right as a broad sheet of water.
- 3h 52m inRight →Mesa Verde National Park
Earlier in the West, Mesa Verde National Park is also on the right, a small but distinct land feature below the wing.
- 4h 19m inRight →Grand Canyon · passes underneath
Near 4 hours 20 minutes in, the Grand Canyon comes very close on the right. It passes almost under you, so the look is steep and brief.
- 4h 37m inRight →Hoover Dam
A little after that, Hoover Dam sits off the right side. You see the straight line of the structure against the river below.
- 4h 39m inRight →Las Vegas
Right after Hoover Dam, Las Vegas appears on the right as a dense city patch in the desert.
Landing
On arrival into LAX, depending on the runway in use, keep to the right for the best final views. San Fernando Valley is on that side near touchdown. The left side takes Anaheim, Irvine, and Long Beach, while the right side also picks up Oxnard.
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 EWR to LAX?
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 EWR to LAX flights?
For sunset views, flip the advice: on evening departures the sun sits on the right side of this route, so that is the side with the show.
How long is the flight from EWR to LAX?
The great-circle distance is 3,941 km (2,449 mi), which works out to roughly 5h 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 of the plane should I sit on from EWR to LAX?
The right side. It’s the view side and the shade side on this route.
What can I see on the EWR to LAX flight?
You get New York landmarks after takeoff, then Lake Erie, the Grand Canyon very close on the right, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and a right-side arrival into LAX.