Istanbul to New York: which side to sit for the view
A window-seat guide for the Istanbul – New York flight: where the sun is, which side sees the sunset, and what you can spot along the way.
Quick answer
In daylight the sun is mostly on the left side, so the right side has less glare and a clearer view of the ground.
Left = window seat A. Right = the last letter in the row (F on most single-aisle jets, K or L on wide-bodies).
Distance8,027 km (4,989 mi)
Flight timeabout 10 h 15 min
DirectionNorth-west
Sun by departure time
Calculated for a departure at the local time shown, in mid-January and mid-July, along the shortest (great-circle) route. +2:10 means 2 h 10 min after takeoff.
| Departure | January | July |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | Sun on the leftSunrise on the left · +7:15 | Sun on both sides |
| 12:00 | Sun on the left | Sun on the left |
| 17:00 | Sun on the leftSunset on the left · +1:22 | Sun on both sides |
| 22:00 | Dark the whole way | Dark the whole way |
What you can see on the way
Landmarks close to the shortest route and the side they appear on. Real flight paths change with winds and air traffic control, so treat this as a guide.
- The Iron Gates of the Danubeon the left · +0:49
- Lake Balatonbelow · +1:22
- The Rhine Gorgeon the left · +2:26
- The west coast of Irelandon the left · +3:58
- Newfoundlandbelow · +8:07