Jet WindowWindow seat by route · LAS to LAX
Las Vegas to Los Angeles: which side of the plane?
Sun on the left.
The sun is on the left on 4 of the 5 daylight departures we modeled. Sit left for the light and any sunset; sit right to keep the glare off and the ground easier to photograph.
The sun, by departure time
Where the light will be.
Departure times are local to Las Vegas. About 1 h in the air over 205 nautical miles.
| Leaving at | Winter (mid-December) | Summer (mid-June) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | Left · sun on this side | Left · sun on this side |
| Noon | Left · sun on this side | Left · sun on this side |
| 5 p.m. | Dark the whole way | Right · sun on this side |
| 10 p.m. | Dark the whole way | Dark the whole way |
Out of the window
What you can look for.
In a desert valley ringed by bare mountains. Right on the Pacific shore at the edge of the LA basin.
Along the way
- Las Vegas, an island of light in the dark desert below you, so either side
- The Sierra Nevada, a granite wall along the edge of the desert on the right, in daylight
- The Los Angeles basin, lit from the mountains to the sea below you, so either side
Leaving Las Vegas
Climbing west, the full length of the Strip swings into view before the desert takes over.
Best from the right, because on west-flow departures the Strip falls away to the north, on the right.
Arriving in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles basin fills the view, downtown against the San Gabriel Mountains, with the Hollywood Sign for sharp eyes.
Best from the right, because the common west-flow arrivals come in from the east, so the downtown skyline and mountains sit to the north, on the right.
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