LHR to ORD: which side of the plane should you sit on?
London (LHR) to Chicago (ORD) is a 6,344 km (3,942 mi), roughly 7h 58m 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 ORD 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 | Left |
| December solstice | Left | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Views do not decide this route, so go with the shaded side on the right.
This route is not a views route by side. Pick the right side for shade, then treat the window as a bonus on both sides: London at departure, then Wales and Ireland, and later the Great Lakes before Chicago.
Takeoff
On climb-out, the right side gets London, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, and the City of Westminster, depending on the runway in use. The left side gets Portsmouth.
En route
- 23m inRight →Snowdon
About 20 minutes in, you can spot Snowdon on the right. It is the highest mountain in Wales, so it stands out as a single high lump rather than a long range.
- 34m inRight →Dublin
About half an hour in, Dublin sits close on the right. You are seeing a city, not a skyline-wide sweep, so it comes and goes quickly.
- 47m in← LeftCliffs of Moher
Around 45 minutes in, the left side gets the Cliffs of Moher. You look down on a narrow Atlantic edge rather than a big landscape.
- 49m in← LeftAran Islands
A couple of minutes later, the left side also picks up the Aran Islands. They read as small islands against the water, so they are brief but clear.
- 7h 20m in← LeftLake Huron
Near the last hour, Lake Huron appears on the left. It is a broad sheet of water, so the view is more about scale than detail.
- 7h 41m inRight →Lake Michigan
On descent, Lake Michigan shows on the right. It gives you one last big-water view before landing.
Landing
On descent, Milwaukee is on the right and Chicago is on the left, depending on the runway in use. The city view is close at the end, but it is brief.
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 ORD?
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 ORD 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 ORD?
The great-circle distance is 6,344 km (3,942 mi), which works out to roughly 7h 58m 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 from LHR to ORD?
Sit on the right for shade. Views are balanced, so the route does not favor one side overall.
What views do you get on this flight?
You get London after takeoff, then Wales and Ireland, and later Lake Huron and Lake Michigan before Chicago.