Flying from London to Abu Dhabi?
Add a departure date and see which side gets the sun.
Flying from London to Abu Dhabi?
Add a departure date and see which side gets the sun.
Flying from London to Abu Dhabi?
Add a departure date and see which side gets the sun.
London → Abu Dhabi
A long flight from United Kingdom to United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is 3 hours ahead. Turn your watch forward before you arrive.
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
| 350 km / 217 mi | |
| 365 km / 227 mi | |
| 370 km / 230 mi |
The island capital
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, sits mostly on a low island connected to the mainland by bridges, with the Persian Gulf on multiple sides. Unlike its neighbor Dubai, it has no metro system; a round-the-clock bus runs between Zayed International Airport and the city, with taxis and ride-hailing covering most other trips. Its newest terminal, opened in 2023, is one of the largest single-building airport terminals anywhere. Summers are extremely hot, often exceeding 45°C (113°F), and the city is built for cars and air conditioning more than for walking.
Nearby airports
| 116 km / 72 mi |
Surrounding hubs
| 451 km / 280 mi | |
| 537 km / 334 mi | |
| 805 km / 500 mi |
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.
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.
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.
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 →
Notes from the product.
Small updates, route observations, and clearer explanations for how the app keeps evolving.
Type less, wait less, wonder more
Airport search now understands metro codes and old city names, FlightSide loads noticeably faster, and a new Feeling lucky button chooses a flight for anyone without one in mind.
A closer look at the route, not just the seat
FlightSide now shows the two cities and key details about the flight alongside the seat recommendation: confirm you picked the right airports, read the time change off two clocks, and check the return leg.
It's all about the sun (after all)
Not all sunlight reaches the side windows. FlightSide now weighs the sun’s angle to the cabin and shows twilight along the route.