Clearer map, clearer messages

After launch, time went into the parts people use most: the map, the form, and shared links.

A clearer map

The biggest change is a small one: a sun marker.

The map shows where the sun sits relative to the aircraft along the route. Before, it only showed the route line and the day/night boundary. Now you can see which direction the light is coming from and which side of the plane is facing it.

This matters most on routes where the sun ends up in a counterintuitive position. Transpacific flights arc far north over Alaska along a great-circle path. A Seattle–Tokyo route, for example, can show the sun on the opposite side from what a flat map suggests. The marker makes it clearer why a recommendation looks the way it does, instead of asking you to trust a number.

Airport search is a bit easier to use. Busier airports appear first, so the one you want is usually near the top.

Date and time inputs validate as you type, with placeholders that show the expected format. Keyboard and screen reader support across the form and map controls has been tightened up as well. Switching between light and dark mode no longer causes a flicker.

When a link breaks

FlightSide links are designed to be shared, but sometimes they arrive incomplete: a missing piece, an invalid airport code, or a date that got cut off somewhere.

Before, that meant a blank screen with no explanation. Now it points out what's wrong and lets you fix it.

A small flight tip

Direction matters more than most people expect when trying to avoid the sun.

On eastbound flights, the sun tends to move across the cabin as you fly. A seat that starts in the shade can end up in direct sunlight an hour later.

Going west, it's often more consistent. The sun either stays behind you or follows you, depending on the time of day, since the flight is moving with it rather than toward it.

With the sun marker on the map you can see how this plays out for a specific route before you book.

Try a longer Pacific route if you want to see the effect clearly.