LAX to BOS: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Boston (BOS) is a 4,193 km (2,605 mi), roughly 5h 26m eastbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LAX to BOS 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 | Both | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The left side wins on both views and shade.
You want the left side. It wins for both views and shade on this eastbound run.
Takeoff
On climb-out, the left side gets the first look at the San Fernando Valley and, depending on the runway in use, Oxnard. The right side picks up Anaheim, Irvine, and Long Beach.
En route
- 29m in← LeftLas Vegas
About half an hour in, Las Vegas sits far off the left side as a bright city grid against open desert.
- 31m in← LeftHoover Dam
A couple of minutes later, Hoover Dam is also on the left. It appears as a small, hard-edged structure in a wide dry landscape.
- 48m inRight →Grand Canyon
Around 50 minutes in, the Grand Canyon stays to the right. You catch a sweeping cut in the land rather than a straight-over pass.
- 1h 10m in← LeftCanyonlands National Park
At about an hour and ten minutes, Canyonlands National Park is on the left. It reads as a broad red-brown terrain patch, not a single feature.
- 2h 46m in← LeftOmaha
Roughly 2 hours 45 minutes into the flight, Omaha is off the left side. You see a spread of city shapes, not one clear landmark.
- 4h 35m in← LeftNiagara Falls
Near 4 hours 35 minutes in, Niagara Falls comes up on the left, followed quickly by Buffalo. That part of the route stacks two close-together views on the same side.
Landing
On descent, the right side gets Catskill Mountains and, depending on the runway in use, Lake Chaubunagungamaug. The left side takes Massachusetts Bay on approach, while Boston itself sits almost under the aircraft as you come in.
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 LAX to BOS?
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 LAX to BOS 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 LAX to BOS?
The great-circle distance is 4,193 km (2,605 mi), which works out to roughly 5h 26m 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 LAX to BOS?
Sit on the left side. It is the views side, and it is also the shade side on this route.
Will I see the Grand Canyon on the LAX to BOS flight?
Yes, but it is on the right side. It is a side view, not something that passes directly under the plane.