Which side of the plane to sit on: Seattle to London?
Flying from Seattle to London? Here's where the sunrise, sunset, mountains, coastline and best views land, and which window to pick.
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset
Best overall window for this flight.
Confidence: highTakeoff views
9:06 AMClimbing out of Seattle toward the northeast, the left window looks out over the Cultus Mountains and the Whidby Island (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Issaquah Alps and the Snoqualmie Falls on the right.
- rightView of Issaquah Alps (mountain range)
- leftView of Cultus Mountains (mountain range)
- leftView of Whidby Island (island)
- rightView of Snoqualmie Falls (waterfall)
Flight path features
2:00 PMAcross the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Bighorn Range and the Continental Ranges (the low sun on the horizon), with Aasivissuit, Nipisat on the right.
- leftCatch the sunset
- leftView of Bighorn Range (mountain range)
- leftView of Continental Ranges (mountain range)
- rightView of Aasivissuit, Nipisat (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landing views
2:55 AMDescending into London from the northwest, the left window looks out over London & the Thames and Coventry (the city spread out below), with Birmingham and Reading on the right.
- leftCity lights of London & the Thames (the river's curves through the capital)
- rightCity lights of Birmingham (city skyline and lights)
- leftCity lights of Coventry (city skyline and lights)
- rightCity lights of Reading (city skyline and lights)
Good to know
- Based on the geometric great-circle route; real flight paths can differ with air-traffic routing and winds.
- "Left/right" means facing the direction of travel. Left is the seat A side, right is the F/K side (varies by aircraft).
- Glare advice assumes you want clear ground views; flip it if you'd rather watch the sunrise/sunset directly.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of the plane should you sit on from Seattle to London?
Sit on the LEFT: Catch the sunset. Across the middle of the route, the left window looks out over the sunset, the Bighorn Range and the Continental Ranges (the low sun on the horizon), with Aasivissuit, Nipisat on the right.
What views will you get at takeoff from Seattle?
Climbing out of Seattle toward the northeast, the left window looks out over the Cultus Mountains and the Whidby Island (mountain ridges and peaks), with the Issaquah Alps and the Snoqualmie Falls on the right.
What about on the descent into London?
Descending into London from the northwest, the left window looks out over London & the Thames and Coventry (the city spread out below), with Birmingham and Reading on the right.