LAX to SEA: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Los Angeles (LAX) to Seattle (SEA) is a 1,537 km (955 mi), roughly 2h 18m northbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LAX to SEA 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 | Right | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Left side for the scenery, right side for shade. If you sit left, you get the better views and the brighter window.
You want the left side for views on this northbound trip, but the sun is also on the left. So you get the scenery with glare. The right side is the shade side.
Takeoff
After takeoff, keep left depending on the runway in use. San Fernando Valley comes into view about 3 minutes in, then Oxnard a minute or so later. The right side holds Anaheim, Irvine, and Long Beach instead.
En route
- 15m in← LeftBakersfield
About 15 minutes in, Bakersfield sits on your left as the climb settles into cruise.
- 39m in← LeftYosemite National Park
Around 39 minutes in, the left side picks up the Yosemite area: Yosemite National Park, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls all cluster in the same window view.
- 53m in← LeftLake Tahoe
About 53 minutes in, Lake Tahoe is left of the aircraft. It reads as a wide blue shape below the wing.
- 1h 19m in← LeftMount Shasta
Near 79 minutes in, Mount Shasta stays on the left. It is a long, solitary volcano rather than a broad range.
- 1h 34m in← LeftCrater Lake
Around 94 minutes in, Crater Lake also sits on the left. You see the lake itself, not a full park panorama.
- 2h in← LeftPortland
By about 2 hours in, Portland passes on the left during descent.
Landing
On descent, keep the right side if you want the better landing view, depending on the runway in use. Mount Adams and the Cascade Range appear on that side first, then Seattle and Lake Washington at the end. Tacoma stays 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 SEA?
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 SEA 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 SEA?
The great-circle distance is 1,537 km (955 mi), which works out to roughly 2h 18m in the air on this northbound 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 SEA?
Sit on the left for the better views. Sit on the right if you want the shaded window.
What do you see on the LAX to SEA flight?
The left side gets San Fernando Valley, the Yosemite area, Lake Tahoe, Mount Shasta, and Crater Lake, with Portland later on descent.