New York to Istanbul: which side to sit for the view
A window-seat guide for the New York – Istanbul 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 right side, so the left 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-east
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 rightSunrise on the right · +0:18Sunset on the right · +5:22 | Sun on the rightSunset behind · +8:12 |
| 12:00 | Sun on the rightSunset behind · +2:42 | Sun on the leftSunset on the left · +5:32 |
| 17:00 | Sun ahead, behind or highSunrise ahead · +8:45 | Sun on the leftSunset on the left · +2:30Sunrise on the left · +7:06 |
| 22:00 | Sun on the rightSunrise on the right · +6:05 | Sun on the rightSunrise on the left · +4:14 |
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.
- Newfoundlandbelow · +2:08
- The west coast of Irelandon the right · +6:17
- The Rhine Gorgeon the right · +7:49
- Lake Balatonbelow · +8:53
- The Iron Gates of the Danubeon the right · +9:26