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Flying from Los Angeles to London?

Add a departure date and see which side gets the sun.

About this route

Los AngelesLondon

A very long flight from United States to United Kingdom. London is 8 hours ahead. Remember to put your watch forward when you land.

Route type International
Distance 8,760 km / 5,443 mi
Distance class Ultra-long-haul
Direction East-northeast
Est. duration About 10h 10m
Time change Destination +8h

Departing from

LAX

Los Angeles International Airport

Location Los Angeles, United States
Time zone PDT · UTC−7
Current time

The Entertainment Capital of the World

Los Angeles is a spread-out city in a much larger county, with the Pacific on one side and mountains on the other. The places travelers usually mean by "LA" can be far apart: beach cities, studio districts, downtown, canyon neighborhoods, museum corridors, and the San Fernando Valley. The region is built around driving, and a short distance on the map can become a long trip in traffic. Where you stay matters more here than in most cities, because crossing the basin can shape the day.

City access

LAX sits on the coast at the western edge of the basin, handy for the beaches and the Westside but a long way from downtown, Hollywood, or the Valley. Transit to the airport is limited and slow, so most travelers leave by car, ride-hail, or shuttle. Factor the drive into your timing, because from the eastern and northern suburbs it can be one of the longest legs of the trip.

Nearby airports

176 km / 109 mi

Surrounding hubs

543 km / 337 mi
595 km / 370 mi
949 km / 590 mi

Arriving at

LHR

London Heathrow Airport

Location London, United Kingdom
Time zone GMT+1 · UTC+1
Current time

A capital of villages

London is a vast, low-slung capital that grew by absorbing villages, so it reads as dozens of distinct neighborhoods rather than one grid. The Underground and a dense rail network make it a transit city at heart; in the center a car is a liability, discouraged by narrow streets and the congestion charge. The landmarks and business districts cluster in the middle, but much of London is the high streets and parks further out. It is large, so crossing town takes longer than the map suggests.

City access

Heathrow is the main airport, west of London and among the busiest in Europe. It has a fast dedicated rail link to the center and is also on the Underground, so reaching the city without a car is straightforward. Allow extra time at peak hours, both on the roads and through its large terminals.

Nearby airports

41 km / 25 mi

Surrounding hubs

348 km / 216 mi
350 km / 217 mi
365 km / 227 mi
How it works

Find out which side of the plane to sit on.

Pick your airports, set your departure time, and you're done.

We calculate the sun's position based on your flight path and departure time, then tell you which side of the plane gets direct sun and which stays shaded. No guessing, just math.

01

Enter your flight

Pick your departure and arrival airports and set your departure time at the departure airport. FlightSide estimates the duration and you can adjust it if you know the exact schedule.

02

We track the sun along your route

Your flight path is broken into hundreds of points. At each one we check where the sun is and which side of the plane it faces.

03

You get a recommendation

Which side of the plane to sit on, left or right, depending on whether you'd rather avoid the sun or enjoy it. The percentages and the map are there if you want to see why.

Want to go deeper? Accuracy, edge cases, polar routes — see the FAQ →

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