See how flight timing, daylight, sunset, and night line up on any route
See whether your flight stays in daylight, crosses sunset, or chases the night.
Enter your airports, departure time, and either a duration, arrival time, or aircraft speed estimate. The map animates your route against Earth’s day and night cycle.
What this site helps answer
Will my flight be mostly in daylight or darkness?
Will I see sunrise or sunset during the trip?
How does eastbound vs westbound travel change the experience?
What duration is realistic if I only know route and aircraft type?
Departure airport
Arrival airport
Flight timing input
Aircraft type
Drag the slider or press play to follow the aircraft while the day/night boundary moves with Earth’s rotation.
Share this exact route setup
https://flightvslight.com/tool?from=SFO&to=SYD&aircraft=B789&depart=2026-06-09T23%3A00&mode=duration&winds=1&duration=14%3A55
Route: SFO - San Francisco → SYD - Sydney
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Route distance: 6,452 nm
Calculated total duration: 14h 55m
Departure local: Jun 9, 11:00 PM
Arrival local: Jun 11, 6:55 AM
Aircraft lighting: Night
1. Enter your route
Choose departure and arrival airports, then set a departure date and local time.
2. Choose timing mode
Enter a duration, arrival time, or estimate block time from aircraft speed and typical winds aloft.
3. Watch the flight vs. the sun
Play the route forward and see local times, changing light conditions, and how the aircraft moves relative to the terminator line.