LAS to JFK: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Las Vegas (LAS) to New York (JFK) is a 3,609 km (2,243 mi), roughly 4h 45m eastbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LAS to JFK 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 | Right | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Right | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Left side wins on both views and shade.
You want the left side on this one. The views line up with the shade side, and the route spends most of its day over land with a strong western-to-eastern lineup of desert, plains, and Great Lakes country.
Takeoff
On departure from LAS, the first few minutes can put Las Vegas nearly under you, with North Las Vegas close by on the left, depending on the runway in use. A little later, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead sit off the right, so the early climb already separates the two sides cleanly.
En route
- 18m in← LeftZion National Park
About 20 minutes in, Zion National Park sits off the left. You get a brief, angled look rather than a straight-down pass.
- 20m inRight →Grand Canyon
Around 20 minutes in, the Grand Canyon is on the right. It is a side view, not an overhead one.
- 1h 17m in← LeftDenver
Roughly 1 hour 20 minutes after takeoff, Denver stays on the left. It reads as a distant city spread against the ground.
- 3h 14m in← LeftChicago
About 3 hours 15 minutes in, Chicago comes up on the left. On a clear day, that is the big urban payoff in the middle of the trip.
- 3h 57m in← LeftLake Erie
Near 4 hours in, Lake Erie is off the left. From cruise altitude it shows as a broad blue sheet rather than fine detail.
Landing
On descent into JFK, the left side keeps the action. Long Island leads the approach, then the East River, the Harlem River, and the George Washington Bridge stack up late in the flight, with the Brooklyn Bridge almost under you, depending on the runway in use.
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 LAS to JFK?
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 LAS to JFK 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 LAS to JFK?
The great-circle distance is 3,609 km (2,243 mi), which works out to roughly 4h 45m 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 LAS to JFK?
Sit on the left. That side has the stronger views and it is also the shade side.
What will I see on the LAS to JFK flight?
You get desert features early, then city and lake views farther east. The strongest late highlights on the left are Chicago, Lake Erie, and the JFK approach over New York.