SFO to TPE: which side of the plane should you sit on?
San Francisco (SFO) to Taoyuan (TPE) is a 10,391 km (6,457 mi), roughly 12h 43m westbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime SFO to TPE 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
Sit left for the views, but expect more sun on that side.
You want the left side for the best views. The catch: the left is also the sun side on this route, so you trade cleaner sightlines for more glare on a daytime flight.
Takeoff
After takeoff from SFO, depending on the runway in use, the first few minutes favor the left side. You can catch San Jose off to the left and, about a minute in, the Golden Gate Bridge passes very close below on the right. Alcatraz Island and Oakland also sit to the right as you climb away.
En route
- 10h 11m in← LeftMount Asama
About 10 hours in, Mount Asama comes into view on the left as a clean volcano profile.
- 10h 15m in← LeftMount Fuji
A few minutes later, Mount Fuji stays on the left and is the classic cone shape you want from cruise altitude.
- 10h 21m in← LeftJapanese Alps
Around 10 hours 20 minutes in, the Japanese Alps stretch along the left as a long mountain wall.
- 10h 38m in← LeftAkashi Kaikyō Bridge
Near 10 hours 40 minutes in, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge shows on the left as a thin span over the water.
- 11h 17m inRight →Hashima Island
A little after that, Hashima Island appears on the right as a small block of abandoned concrete by the sea wall.
Landing
On descent into TPE, depending on the runway in use, the left side stays the one to keep. Yangmingshan National Park passes almost under you on the left, then Taipei and New Taipei slide by on that side before Taoyuan arrives close in.
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 SFO to TPE?
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 SFO to TPE 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 SFO to TPE?
The great-circle distance is 10,391 km (6,457 mi), which works out to roughly 12h 43m 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 SFO to TPE?
Sit on the left. It has the better views on this route, even though it also gets the sun.
What will I see on the way to TPE?
If you sit left, the best en-route views are Mount Asama, Mount Fuji, the Japanese Alps, and the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge. On arrival, the left side also picks up Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei, and New Taipei.