EWR to MCO: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Newark (EWR) to Orlando (MCO) is a 1,511 km (939 mi), roughly 2h 17m southbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime EWR to MCO 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 | Right |
| June solstice | Left | Right | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Both | Right |
| December solstice | Left | Both | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Right side wins on both views and shade.
Sit on the right side. It gets the better views, and it is also the shade side. On a daytime flight like this, that makes the choice easy.
Takeoff
Depending on the runway in use, the left side gets the early New York view. You may see Long Island, the East River, the George Washington Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Harlem River as you climb out.
En route
- 18m in← LeftDelaware Bay · passes underneath
About 20 minutes in, the left side gets a quick, steep look at Delaware Bay. It sits close to the track, so it comes and goes fast.
- 25m inRight →Delmarva Peninsula · passes underneath
A few minutes later, the right side picks up the Delmarva Peninsula. It is also close to the route, so expect a brief look rather than a long one.
- 26m inRight →Washington, D.C.
Around 25 minutes in, the right side has Washington, D.C. in view. You are far enough out to read the city as a broad urban patch, not street detail.
- 38m in← LeftChesapeake Bay
About 40 minutes in, the left side sees Chesapeake Bay. From cruising height it reads as a wide, open water shape.
- 1h inRight →Raleigh
Near the hour mark, the right side gets Raleigh. The city sits well off the track, so it appears as a compact urban area rather than a full sprawl.
- 2h 01m inRight →Jacksonville
On descent, the right side has Jacksonville. It is the largest city in Florida, so this is the clearest city view near the end of the flight.
Landing
Depending on the runway in use, the left side sees Cape Canaveral on descent. Then Orlando comes up on the right, and it passes almost under the aircraft near touchdown.
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 MCO?
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 MCO 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 MCO?
The great-circle distance is 1,511 km (939 mi), which works out to roughly 2h 17m in the air on this southbound 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 EWR to MCO?
Sit on the right. It has the stronger views, and it is also the shade side.
What can I see on this flight from EWR to MCO?
You get a quick New York departure, then views of Delaware Bay, Washington, D.C., Chesapeake Bay, Raleigh, Jacksonville, and Orlando.