Jet Window

Window seat by route · JFK to MIA

New York JFK to Miami: which side of the plane?

Sun left by day, right in the evening.

It turns with the clock. On morning and midday departures the sun is mostly on the left; leave in the evening and it is mostly on the right. Find your departure time in the table.

The sun, by departure time

Where the light will be.

Departure times are local to New York. About 2 h 45 min in the air over 949 nautical miles.

Which side of the aircraft the sun is on, for four departure times in mid-December and mid-June.
Leaving atWinter (mid-December)Summer (mid-June)
7 a.m.Left · sun on this sideLeft · sun on this side
NoonRight · sun on this sideLeft · sun on this side
5 p.m.Dark the whole wayRight · sun on this side
10 p.m.Dark the whole wayDark the whole way

Out of the window

What you can look for.

Arriving in Miami

Miami Beach and its barrier islands, the blue of Biscayne Bay and the downtown skyline to the east; the flat green Everglades to the west.

How this was worked out

The same engine as the app.

These answers come from the model Jet Window uses on your phone: the sun's position from the cabin's own horizon at cruise, sampled along the great-circle path, with the landmark and airport notes the app shows. This page has to assume a departure time and a flight time, and a real flight bends with winds, airways and the runway in use. Cloud is not modeled.

In the app, Jet Window works it out for your actual flight, at its real departure time, and tells you when to look.

More routes