LAX to DFW: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is a 1,983 km (1,232 mi), roughly 2h 50m 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 DFW 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 | Right |
| June solstice | Left | Right | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Right | Right |
| December solstice | Right | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Right side for views, left side for shade. If you want the better window, sit right and accept the glare; if you want less sun, sit left and give up the main sights.
Seat on the right for the best window side. It also gets the sun, so you trade shade for the stronger views.
Takeoff
After departure, depending on the runway in use, the right side picks up Long Beach, Santa Ana, and Irvine within the first few minutes. The left side is over San Fernando Valley and Oxnard instead.
En route
- 20m inRight →Salton Sea
About 20 minutes in, look right for the Salton Sea. It is a flat, pale lake that stands out against the dry land around it.
- 50m inRight →Phoenix
Around 50 minutes in, the right side gets a run of Arizona cities, with Phoenix leading the cluster. It is a dense urban patch, not a single landmark, so you see the sprawl more than one shape.
- 1h 32m in← LeftAlbuquerque
About 92 minutes in, Albuquerque passes on the left. That is one of the few left-side city views on this route.
- 1h 38m inRight →White Sands National Park
Near 98 minutes in, White Sands National Park sits to the right. From up here it reads as a bright, light-toned patch on the ground.
- 2h 11m in← LeftLubbock · passes underneath
Around 131 minutes in, Lubbock is almost under you but still a touch left, so it flashes by fast. Keep your eyes ready; this one does not stay in view for long.
Landing
On descent, depending on the runway in use, the right side looks toward Fort Worth, Arlington, and Dallas. The left side has Garland and Plano instead, so the final view splits across the metro area.
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 DFW?
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 DFW 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 LAX to DFW?
The great-circle distance is 1,983 km (1,232 mi), which works out to roughly 2h 50m 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 DFW?
Sit on the right. That side gets the better views on this route, while the left side is the shade side.
What can I see on the flight from Los Angeles to Dallas?
You get Long Beach and the Orange County area after takeoff, then the Salton Sea, the Phoenix area, White Sands National Park, and a near-overhead pass by Lubbock before Dallas-Fort Worth on arrival.