IAD to LHR: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Dulles (IAD) to London (LHR) is a 5,902 km (3,667 mi), roughly 7h 27m eastbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime IAD to LHR 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 | Both | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Both | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Right side for views, but it is also the sunny side. You choose between the better scenery and more glare.
Seat right for the better view line on this eastbound trip. You get a strong run of cities, water, and islands on that side, but the sun is also on your right for most of the flight, so glare can be part of the deal. If you care more about shade, the left side only really starts to make sense on a later departure.
Takeoff
Right side gives you Washington, D.C. about 2 minutes after departure, depending on the runway in use. It is a quick climb view, so have your window shade up early.
En route
- 27m inRight →Brooklyn Bridge
About 27 minutes in, look right for Brooklyn Bridge. It is a brief city crossing, so you only get a short look.
- 27m inRight →New York City
At about the same point, New York City sits to the right. You are seeing the dense city edge from above, not a close-up street view.
- 50m inRight →Boston
Around 50 minutes in, Boston is off the right side. It reads as a compact coastal city from cruise height.
- 1h 29m inRight →Bay of Fundy
About 1 hour and 29 minutes in, the Bay of Fundy stays on the right. From up here it is a broad sweep of water, with little detail beyond the shoreline shape.
- 6h 46m in← LeftIreland
Near 6 hours and 46 minutes in, Ireland appears on the left as you approach the end of the crossing. That is the point where the view shifts sides.
- 7h 07m in← LeftSnowdonia
About 7 hours and 7 minutes in, Snowdonia is on the left. It comes up in descent, so the terrain looks steeper and closer than the earlier cruise views.
Landing
On approach, the left side gets the last word. Depending on the runway in use, you can see London, the City of Westminster, London Bridge, and Tower Bridge to the left as you come down. Portsmouth sits off to the right a moment earlier, but the final London run-in favors the left window.
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 IAD to LHR?
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 IAD to LHR 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 IAD to LHR?
The great-circle distance is 5,902 km (3,667 mi), which works out to roughly 7h 27m 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 from IAD to LHR?
Sit on the right for the best views. That side gets Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, and the Atlantic-side landmarks. The tradeoff is sun on the right for most of the flight.
Will I see London on landing from IAD to LHR?
Yes, the left side is best near landing. London, the City of Westminster, London Bridge, and Tower Bridge are all on the left on approach, depending on the runway in use.