San Francisco to Tokyo: which side to sit for the view
A window-seat guide for the San Francisco – Tokyo 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).
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 behind · +1:35 | Sun on both sides |
| 12:00 | Sun on the left | Sun on the left |
| 17:00 | Sun on the leftSunset on the left · +0:17 | Sun on both sidesSunset on the right · +9:31 |
| 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.
No major landmarks lie close to the shortest route; expect sea, clouds or open country.