JED to CAI: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Jeddah (JED) to Cairo (CAI) is a 1,216 km (756 mi), roughly 1h 56m northbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime JED to CAI 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 | Right | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The right side wins for both views and shade.
Sit on the right for the best views and the shade side. The left gets the sun, but the right carries the main scenery on this route.
Takeoff
After takeoff from Jeddah, depending on the runway in use, the city sits off your left as you climb out.
En route
- 1h 18m in← LeftHurghada
About an hour and 20 minutes in, Hurghada stays on your left as a city patch against the coast.
- 1h 20m inRight →Ras Muhammad National Park
Just after that, Ras Muhammad National Park comes into view on your right as a small, sharp strip of land.
- 1h 21m inRight →Straits of Tiran
A minute later, the Straits of Tiran are also on your right, narrow water framed between land on both sides.
- 1h 25m inRight →Gulf of Aqaba
A few minutes on, the Gulf of Aqaba opens on your right as a broad blue reach.
- 1h 28m inRight →Mount Catherine
Around 90 minutes in, Mount Catherine rises on your right. It is a steep, isolated peak and easy to pick out.
- 1h 28m inRight →Mount Sinai
Right around the same time, Mount Sinai is also on your right, another sharp mountain shape in the distance.
Landing
On descent into Cairo, depending on the runway in use, Cairo and Giza are on your left. Ismailia and Zagazig sit on the right, so keep your eyes split 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 JED to CAI?
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 JED to CAI 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 JED to CAI?
The great-circle distance is 1,216 km (756 mi), which works out to roughly 1h 56m in the air on this northbound 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 JED to CAI?
Sit on the right. It gets the stronger views and the shade on this route.
What can I see on the JED to CAI flight?
You get Hurghada on the left, then a run of right-side features including Ras Muhammad National Park, the Straits of Tiran, the Gulf of Aqaba, and Mount Sinai near the middle of the flight.