JFK to DEL: which side of the plane should you sit on?
New York (JFK) to New Delhi (DEL) is a 11,755 km (7,304 mi), roughly 14h 20m northbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime JFK to DEL 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 | Right |
| June solstice | Left | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Left | Right |
| December solstice | Right | Both | Right |
What you’ll see on this flight
Left side for the view, right side for shade. That is the tradeoff on this one.
You get the left side for views, and it is also the sunny side. So you choose between cleaner light and less glare. The route starts with New York on your side, then turns into a long stretch of mountains and remote terrain before the Delhi approach.
Takeoff
On departure from JFK, the left side starts strong, with New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Ellis Island on that side during climb, depending on the runway in use. Long Island sits off the right a few minutes later, so the first minute or two is the sharper side for city scenery.
En route
- 4h 56m in← LeftGunnbjørn Fjeld
About five hours in, Gunnbjørn Fjeld appears on the left as Greenland’s highest peak. It is a clean mountain shape, often more about scale than detail from this height.
- 5h 58m in← LeftJan Mayen
Not long after that, Jan Mayen stays on the left. From cruise height it reads as a small Arctic island, easy to miss if you are not already looking.
- 5h 59m in← LeftBeerenberg
Beerenberg follows on the left almost immediately. It is the mountain on Jan Mayen, so the sight is brief and steep rather than broad.
- 12h 48m in← LeftPamir Mountains
Near the last third of the flight, the Pamir Mountains run on the left. This is the big high-country stretch: long ridges, pale rock, and a lot of vertical relief.
- 13h 32m in← LeftDal Lake
Closer to arrival, Dal Lake sits on the left, with the Kashmir Valley on that same side. It is one of the final scenic beats before the descent tightens up.
Landing
On approach to DEL, the left side keeps the better view, with Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Meerut all showing on that side, depending on the runway in use. By then the city pattern is the main thing to watch, with the ground filling in 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 JFK to DEL?
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 JFK to DEL flights?
For sunrise or sunset views, sit on the side the table marks as the sun side for your departure time — that is where the light is.
How long is the flight from JFK to DEL?
The great-circle distance is 11,755 km (7,304 mi), which works out to roughly 14h 20m 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 JFK to DEL?
Sit on the left for the views. It also gets the sun, so it is brighter but less shaded than the right.
What do you see after takeoff on JFK to DEL?
Very early on, the left side has New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Ellis Island. Long Island shifts to the right a few minutes later.