LHR to IAD: which side of the plane should you sit on?
London (LHR) to Dulles (IAD) is a 5,902 km (3,667 mi), roughly 7h 27m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LHR to IAD 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 | Left | Left | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Left | Both |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
The left side wins for views, but it is also the sunny side. If you want the clearer look outside, choose left. If you want less glare, pick right.
Sit on the left for the better views. That side also gets the sun, so you trade shade for scenery on this westbound daytime flight.
Takeoff
After takeoff from LHR, the best early landmarks are mostly on the right, including London and Tower Bridge, depending on the runway in use. On the left, Portsmouth slips by about a minute after departure.
En route
- 24m inRight →Anglesey
About 24 minutes in, Anglesey appears on the right as the route moves along the Welsh coast.
- 33m inRight →Dublin
Around 33 minutes in, Dublin sits on the right, a city view that comes and goes fast.
- 4h 55m in← LeftNewfoundland
Near 4 hours 55 minutes in, Newfoundland is on the left. It is a brief island sight, not a long one.
- 5h 58m in← LeftBay of Fundy
About 6 hours in, the Bay of Fundy is on the left. You get a wide water view from a distance.
- 6h 37m in← LeftBoston
Roughly 6 hours 37 minutes in, Boston is on the left as you close in on the Northeast.
- 7h in← LeftNew York City
Just after that, New York City and the Brooklyn Bridge come up on the left during descent.
Landing
On approach to IAD, Washington, D.C. comes in on the left about 5 minutes before landing, depending on the runway in use. It is a late, low-angle city view rather than a long sightseeing pass.
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 LHR to IAD?
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 LHR to IAD 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 LHR to IAD?
The great-circle distance is 5,902 km (3,667 mi), which works out to roughly 7h 27m 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 should I sit on for LHR to IAD?
Sit on the left for the better views. The tradeoff is sun, since the left side is also the sunny side on this westbound flight.
What do you see on this route?
You get a mix of city and island views: Anglesey, Dublin, Newfoundland, the Bay of Fundy, Boston, and then New York City on descent.