Flyway vs Major Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Flyway (LRV 39) reflects noticeably more light than Major Blue (LRV 29), a difference of 10 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 9.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Flyway vs Major Blue in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Flyway and Major Blue are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Flyway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Major Blue.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Flyway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Major Blue.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Flyway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Major Blue.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Flyway reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Major Blue.
Color Details
Flyway vs Major Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Flyway on one side and Major Blue on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Flyway comparisons
See how Flyway stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 39, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 39), opening up a space where Flyway encloses it.
Flyway reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 39), opening up a space where Flyway encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 39, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 27, Flyway is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 39, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (44 vs 39) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 39), opening up a space where Flyway encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 39, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 39, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Flyway is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 8, Flyway is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 39, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Flyway is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (45 vs 39) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Flyway reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.