# How to Pick the Left or Right Side of the Plane with FlightSide

Go from your FlightSide result to the right window seat, whether you want the shade or the sun.

If you haven't checked your flight yet, start with [How to use FlightSide](/guide/how-to/using-flightside).

![A Paris to Montreal flight on the map, with the recommendation card showing Right Side: 41% sun on the left side, 2% on the right, 57% ahead or behind and no night](/images/guide/pick-your-side/result.jpg)

## Read the recommendation {#recommended-side}

The headline on the recommendation card names a side, left or right, and gives a one-line reason. By default FlightSide picks the shadier side, so there's less glare on your screen and less heat through the window. That suits most people most of the time, whether you're sleeping, working or watching a movie.

> **Left and right, from your seat**
>
> Left and right mean facing the front of the plane. Left is the windows on the left side of the cabin, right is the windows on the right.
>
> Seat letters run left to right, so A is the left window on nearly every plane. The right window is the last letter in the row: usually F on single-aisle planes and K on most wide-bodies. Your airline's seat map shows which letters are windows.

## Check how sunny each side gets {#percentages}

Under the headline, your flight time is split four ways:

- **Sun on left side**: the sun shines into the left windows.
- **Sun on right side**: the sun shines into the right windows.
- **Ahead or behind**: it's daytime, but the sun is near the nose or the tail, so it barely reaches the side windows. A big number here means a bright flight that still isn't very sunny at your window.
- **Night flying**: the sun is down, so neither side gets any sun. The more night, the less the side matters; on a flight that's dark all the way, either side works.

![The recommendation card showing Right Side, with 19% sun on the left side, 10% on the right, 71% ahead or behind and 0% night](/images/guide/pick-your-side/recommendation.jpg)

Together they always add up to 100%. "40% sun on right side" means the sun shines into the right-hand windows for 40% of the time you're in the air.

If the two side numbers are far apart, the pick is clear. If they're close, see [When it's close to 50/50](#fifty-fifty) below.

> **How FlightSide works it out**
>
> FlightSide follows the curved route your plane actually flies and works out where the sun is at each point along the way, starting a few minutes after your departure time to allow for leaving the gate. Every moment counts by how directly the sun faces the side windows, so sun coming straight in counts fully and sun at a glancing angle counts for less.

> **Direction**
>
> Flying west, you chase the sun and daylight lasts longer than the clock suggests. Flying east, you run into the night. Leave London for New York at 6 pm on June 15 and only 8% of the flight is at night. Leave New York for London at the same time and 66% is.

## Switch to the sunny side {#prefer-sun}

If you want the sun, for photos, for warmth, or to watch a sunrise or sunset from the air, turn on *Prefer sun*. The recommendation flips to the sunnier side. The four numbers stay the same; only the pick changes.

![The top of the recommendation card with Prefer sun switched on, now recommending Left Side: most of the sun on this side, best for views](/images/guide/pick-your-side/prefer-sun-top.jpg)

## When it's close to 50/50 {#fifty-fifty}

If both sides get about the same amount of sun, you won't notice much difference between them. If glare bothers you, an aisle seat is often the more comfortable choice. If you still want a window, take either one and pull the shade down when the sun comes around.

> **Tip**
>
> Use the Delay slider to test a close call. Set it to 15 or 30 minutes and watch the recommendation. If it changes, even a short delay could put the sun on the other side. [More on the Delay slider](/guide/how-to/using-flightside#delay).

> **Why some flights come out even**
>
> On a north-south route, the sun is on one side in the morning and on the other in the afternoon, so a flight around midday gets some of each.

## Choose your seat {#seat}

Take the recommended side to your airline's seat map and pick a window there. Any row works: the whole side of the plane faces the same way.

> **Tinted windows**
>
> They dim the light a little, but the sunny side is still the sunny side.

- [Use FlightSide](/guide/how-to/using-flightside) — Enter your route and departure time to get a result.
- [Share your flight](/guide/how-to/share-your-flight) — Send the result to whoever you're traveling with.
- [FAQ](/guide/faq) — Quick answers about the sun, seats and routes.