LAX to HKG: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG) is a 11,664 km (7,248 mi), roughly 14h 13m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LAX to HKG 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 | Left | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Both | Both | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Left | Left |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The right side wins on both views and shade.
Sit on the right for this westbound flight. That side wins on views, and it also keeps the sun off you for most of the trip.
Takeoff
After departure from LAX, the right side gets the early show. Depending on the runway in use, you may see Anaheim, Irvine, and Santa Ana off that side as you climb out.
En route
- 40m inRight →San Francisco
About 40 minutes in, San Francisco sits on the right. The city comes into view as a compact gray grid by the bay.
- 41m inRight →Golden Gate Bridge
A minute later, the Golden Gate Bridge is also on the right. You only get a quick look, but the span reads clearly from above.
- 8h 53m inRight →Kuril Islands
Around 9 hours in, the Kuril Islands appear on the right as a thin island chain.
- 9h 23m inRight →Iturup
A little after that, Iturup is on the right too. It is the largest of the Kuril Islands, so it stands out more than the rest of the chain.
- 10h 03m inRight →Sapporo
About 10 hours in, Sapporo is off the right side. You catch a distant city shape rather than a full sweep of detail.
- 13h 22m inRight →Wuyi Mountains
Near the end of cruise, the Wuyi Mountains sit on the right. They pass at a long distance, so this is more a broad mountain outline than a close look.
Landing
On descent into HKG, the left side gets Hong Kong and Hong Kong Island. Depending on the runway in use, the right side instead picks up Macau, Dongguan, and Zhuhai 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 LAX to HKG?
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 LAX to HKG 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 HKG?
The great-circle distance is 11,664 km (7,248 mi), which works out to roughly 14h 13m in the air on this westbound 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 of the plane should I sit on for LAX to HKG?
Sit on the right. It is the views side, and it is also the shade side on this route.
What will I see on the right side from LAX to HKG?
Early on you can see San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Later you get island and coastal features in the Pacific and Japan area, plus distant Hong Kong approach views near landing.