Why do planes fly east instead of west?

Airlines quickly realized the value of jet streams and began implementing them while planning routes. Since the jet streams flow from west to east, they make one leg of the journey much faster (when flying with the stream) and one slower (against the stream).



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Flying east or west makes a difference to jet lag Travelling eastwards, however, runs in direct opposition to the body clock. If you suffer badly from jet lag, it may be worthwhile considering a westerly travel route if possible.

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Due to the rotation of the Earth which generates the Coriolis Effect. Globally, the wind mainly blows from West to East, and this effect is even more pronounced at altitude in the Jet Stream, speeding journeys towards the East. So, in general but not always, aircraft can travel more rapidly from West to East.

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Currently, the bragging rights for the longest flight in the world belong to Singapore Airlines' New York City to Singapore route. Its longest flight path, which connects Singapore's Changi Airport with New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, 9,585 miles away, takes 18 hours and 40 minutes.

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It is widely acknowledged that jet lag is worse when travelling east, but this has nothing to do with the direction of Earth's rotation. Like many creatures, humans have a circadian rhythm that follows a 24-hour period and is kept in sync by the eyes' response to natural light levels over the day.

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According to the NHS, crossing one or two time zones doesn't usually cause jet lag. Three to six time zones results in mild jet lag, and crossing seven to 12, to destinations like Mexico or Bali, will result in the strongest effect.

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Most flights are intended to spend as little time as possible over water, since storms are more common over the ocean than on land. An aircraft would not be safe to fly over the Pacific Ocean due to the stormy weather and frequent lightning strikes that occur there.

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Jet lag is worse and longer-lasting when you travel east than west.

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Top Tips for Avoiding Jet Lag in London
  1. First off, what is jet lag?
  2. Tips and tricks to beat the clock.
  3. Shift your body clock before you leave.
  4. Leave home well-rested.
  5. Don't nap when you arrive.
  6. Or if necessary for no more than half an hour.
  7. Stay awake till an early bedtime.
  8. Avoid caffeine.


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Common ways pilots avoid jetlag is staying hydrated, good rest, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, exercising, or sleeping on the airplane. For long-haul flights airlines use multiple pilots for the flight to allow each pilot to get some rest. The more time zones that are crossed, the worse the jet lag.

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The Sleep Doctor explains that jet lag is a response to the disruption of your body's normal circadian rhythm, and it's easier to delay your circadian rhythm than to advance it. Therefore, it takes longer to recover from a flight from New York to London than from London to New York.

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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.

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The Loganair Westray to Papa Westray route is the shortest scheduled passenger flight in the world. Flights on the route are scheduled for one and a half minutes, and actual flying time is closer to one minute. The record for the fastest flight is 53 seconds.

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The simple answer is yes, pilots do, and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.

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Island hopping: Loganair flight LM711 is acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the world's shortest scheduled passenger flight for its below two-minute connection between two Scottish islands. Kirkwall Airport: Visitors typically board the flight at Kirkwall on Mainland Island, the capital of the Orkney Islands.

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