LAX to EWR: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Newark (EWR) is a 3,941 km (2,449 mi), roughly 5h 8m 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 EWR 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
The left side wins on both counts, so it is the easy pick here.
Sit on the left. It wins on views, and it also gets the shade. This is a long west-to-east flight with the best scenery mostly on your side, from desert landmarks to the Great Lakes and a busy New York approach.
Takeoff
On departure from LAX, depending on the runway in use, the left side gets the first look at the San Fernando Valley, with Oxnard also off that side at the start. The right side picks up Anaheim, Irvine, and Long Beach.
En route
- 29m in← LeftLas Vegas
About half an hour in, Las Vegas sits off the left side as a bright city block in the desert.
- 31m in← LeftHoover Dam
A couple of minutes later, Hoover Dam is also on the left. It is a compact man-made landmark, so it comes and goes quickly.
- 49m in← LeftGrand Canyon · passes underneath
Around 50 minutes in, the Grand Canyon passes almost under you on the left. It is a steep cut, so it shows briefly and from a sharp angle.
- 1h 04m in← LeftMonument Valley
About an hour in, Monument Valley stays on the left. You get the broad basin shape rather than a close pass.
- 4h 23m in← LeftLake Erie
Near four and a half hours in, Lake Erie is on the left. It reads as a wide sheet of water, a good change of pace before the East Coast.
Landing
On descent into EWR, depending on the runway in use, the left side is the one to keep. It carries Long Island, the East River, the George Washington Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Harlem River on approach.
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 EWR?
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 EWR 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 EWR?
The great-circle distance is 3,941 km (2,449 mi), which works out to roughly 5h 8m 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 EWR?
Sit on the left. It gets the better views and the shade side on this route.
What will I see on the left side on this flight?
You start with the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, then pick up Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Lake Erie, before the New York approach.