LAX to HND: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) is a 8,812 km (5,476 mi), roughly 10h 52m 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 HND 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 for both views and shade.
Sit on the right. You get the views side and the shade side on the same wing, so this one is easy.
Takeoff
Right after departure, look to the right, depending on the runway in use. Anaheim, Irvine, and Santa Ana sit on that side during the climb, with Long Beach and Oxnard off to the left.
En route
- 10m inRight →Bakersfield
About 10 minutes in, Bakersfield stays on the right. It is far off, so you see a small city shape rather than details.
- 27m inRight →Pinnacles National Park
Around 27 minutes in, Pinnacles National Park is also on the right. From cruise height it reads as broken, pale terrain, not a close-up park scene.
- 35m inRight →San Jose
By about 35 minutes in, San Jose is on the right, followed quickly by Fremont and Oakland. This is the busy side of the corridor.
- 40m inRight →San Francisco
Around 40 minutes in, San Francisco comes into view on the right, along with the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. The bridge is a quick, side-window sight.
- 10h 44m inRight →Mito
Near the end, about 10 minutes before landing, Mito appears on the right. It is a brief descent view before the Tokyo area fills the window.
Landing
On descent, keep your seat on the right, depending on the runway in use. Tokyo, Sagamihara, Saitama, and Hachiōji-shi line up on that side, while Yokosuka sits to the left.
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 HND?
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 HND 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 HND?
The great-circle distance is 8,812 km (5,476 mi), which works out to roughly 10h 52m 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 has the views from LAX to HND?
The right side. It is the views side on this route, and it also gets the shade.
What can I see on the LAX to HND flight?
You get a right-side run past Southern California cities, then San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and finally the Tokyo area on descent.