In summary, jet streams are the reason why flights take shorter when flying from the west to the east.
Why is flying west to east harder?
This is because travelling west 'prolongs' the body clock's experience of its normal day-night cycle (the normal tendency of the body clock in most of us is slightly longer than 24 hours). Travelling eastwards, however, runs in direct opposition to the body clock.
Is it slower flying east?
Jet streams are, at their most basic, high-altitude air currents caused by atmospheric heating and the inertia of the earth's rotation—and they're the reason why flights from west to east are faster than the same route traversed in the opposite direction.
How much faster to fly east?
In general, but not always, aircraft travel faster travelling from west to east. Indeed, on a scheduled flight from New York to Malaga, for example, flight time can be reduced by almost 20% compared to the opposite route, from 8.5 hours to 7 hours.
How much faster is flying east than west?
Why flights to east are faster?
At airliner altitudes in the US and Europe, the wind pretty-consistently blows from west to east at up to 100mph, relative to the ground. It's like the plane is traveling on one of those moving-sidewalks they have at the airport, favoring eastward travel.
Is jet lag worse on day 3?
Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.
Is it harder to fly east to west?
Science has an answer for this one, and that answer is yes, it is more difficult for a human body to travel east than west. A study published in 2016 crunched the numbers on why travelling east is worse for jet lag.
Is it slower to fly west than east?
Everything on earth, not just the ground, but also the water (and even the atmosphere), is rotating in the same direction, Forbes reported. Since planes in the sky are being pulled eastward with the earth, it takes more time to go west. Think of it kind of like walking against the wind.
Is jet lag worse the second day?
Symptoms are worse the farther you travelJet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.