LHR to MAD: which side of the plane should you sit on?
London (LHR) to Madrid (MAD) is a 1,244 km (773 mi), roughly 1h 58m southbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime LHR to MAD 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 | Left | Right | Right |
| June solstice | Left | Right | Right |
| September equinox | Left | Right | Right |
| December solstice | Left | Right | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Take the right side for the best views, but you give up the shade. It is the tradeoff on this route.
You want the right side. It has the better views, and it also gets the sun, so expect a brighter cabin on the way south. The left side is the shade pick. On a later departure, the sun stays to the right.
Takeoff
Soon after takeoff, depending on the runway in use, London and the City of Westminster sit off your left side. That early view is brief. Your right side gets the first open look toward Southampton, then Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight a few minutes later.
En route
- 17m inRight →English Channel
About 17 minutes in, the English Channel appears on your right. It is the first big water crossing on this route.
- 24m inRight →Channel Islands
Around 24 minutes in, the Channel Islands are off your right. Herm and Sark are part of that same cluster, small and easy to miss if you blink.
- 24m inRight →Guernsey
Also around 24 minutes in, Guernsey sits to your right as well. It is a compact island view, not a long one.
- 1h 07m inRight →Bay of Biscay
Near 67 minutes in, the Bay of Biscay opens on your right. It is the broadest water view on the route.
Landing
On descent, depending on the runway in use, the right side stays the one to have. The Sierra de Guadarrama comes into view about 115 minutes in, then Madrid nearly under you at the end. Móstoles and the Iberian Peninsula also sit to the right 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 LHR to MAD?
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 LHR to MAD flights?
For sunset views, flip the advice: on evening departures the sun sits on the right side of this route, so that is the side with the show.
How long is the flight from LHR to MAD?
The great-circle distance is 1,244 km (773 mi), which works out to roughly 1h 58m in the air on this southbound 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 is best for London to Madrid?
The right side. It has the better views on this route.
Which side gets the sun on LHR to MAD?
The right side gets the sun. The left side is the shade side.