CabinShade
Shady side by departure time and season
Each cell shows the window side that stays out of the sun for a departure at that local time on the 15th of the month. A = left side, F/K = right side, Any = little direct sun, Dark = night flight.
| Departs | Jan | Apr | Jul | Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 am | A | F/K | F/K | F/K |
| 9 am | F/K | F/K | F/K | F/K |
| noon | F/K | F/K | F/K | F/K |
| 3 pm | Any | A | A | A |
| 6 pm | A | A | A | A |
| 9 pm | A | F/K | F/K | A |
Sunrise and sunset views
- Sunset on the left side (seat A): 6 am, 9 am, noon, 3 pm and 9 pm departures year-round; 6 pm departures in January and October.
- Sunrise on the right side (seats F/K): 6 am, noon, 3 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm departures year-round; 9 am departures in April, July and October.
About the MEL–LAX route
- Distance: 12,758 km (7,927 miles) along the great circle.
- Estimated flight time: 16h 21m. Real schedules vary with winds and routing.
- Direction: leaves heading east-northeast, is flying northeast at the halfway point, and arrives heading east-northeast.
Window seat letters: A is the left window on almost every airline. The right window is the last letter in the row: usually F on single-aisle jets and K (sometimes J or L) on wide-bodies. How seat letters work.
Questions about this flight
Which side of the plane is shady from Melbourne to Los Angeles?
Flying Melbourne (MEL) to Los Angeles (LAX)? Morning flights: sit on the right (F/K) for shade; afternoon flights: the left (A).
Which side has the sunset or sunrise view?
Most often the sunrise is on the right side (seats F/K); it depends on the departure time and season. Use the calculator with your exact date to be sure.
How is this calculated?
CabinShade follows the great-circle route in 60 steps and computes the sun's position at each step, then counts how long each side of the cabin faces the sun. More on the method.