A year of window seats
We flew every route on every day of 2026, at ten departure times a day: 73,000 simulated flights, each worked out minute by minute by the same engine as the planner, on an approximate great-circle path.
- 100% Fort Lauderdale to New York, winter afternoons: all 360 simulated departures favour the left window, 239 for the sunset or sunrise light.
- 87% Los Angeles to New York, winter afternoons: 313 of 360 simulated departures favour the right window, 211 for the sunset or sunrise light.
- 78% New York to Fort Lauderdale, winter afternoons: 281 of 360 simulated departures favour the right window, 105 for the sunset or sunrise light.
Winter means January, February, November and December; afternoon means 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00 departures, local time. Real flights bend with winds and air traffic control, so treat these as strong tendencies.
Which side wins, by month and departure time
- ALeft side wins
- FRight side wins
- AWins on most days, not all
- –Either side
- Sunset or sunrise light on most days
| Month | 05:00 | 07:00 | 09:00 | 11:00 | 13:00 | 15:00 | 17:00 | 19:00 | 21:00 | 23:00 |
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Point at a square to see the days behind it. Every day of the month is simulated.