When choosing a flight, there’s a list of factors that come into play…
Which airline to choose?
First class or coach?
Window or aisle seat?
Oh, and last, but not least…day flight or red-eye?
In case you’re not familiar with the term “red-eye”, it’s basically an overnight flight that leaves late around 9 p.m. or later and arrives by 6 a.m. the next day.
Whether you’re a frequent flier or not, you may wonder the pros and cons of both. For instance, is one cheaper, longer, more comfortable, etc.?
Check out the differences between day flights and red-eye flights below:
Pros of Day Flights
1: Gain an extra day or half-day: More than likely when you arrive at your destination in the day, the purpose of your flight (event, meeting, vacation, etc.) doesn’t kick off until later that night, or the next day. Because of this, you’ve naturally built in an additional half day or day to explore other activities at your destination.
2: Better Punctuality: Earlier flights are more likely to be on time compared to other times of the day. With the exception of bad weather, most flights in the day are on schedule.
3: No need for extra lodging: When you arrive in the day, you can avoid the extra night’s lodging costs that would come if you showed up the night before.
Cons of Day Flights
1: Earlier mornings: If you live far from the airport, you may have to get up really early (talking 3 or 4 a.m.) to catch an early flight.
2: Factor in food and traffic: When you catch an early flight, you have to factor in things like traffic and food. This can be stressful and an added expense if you don’t plan appropriately.
3: More noise and traffic in the aisles: Day flights mean most people on the flights will be awake and moving around. Expect more foot traffic up and down the aisles as well as people getting things out of the overhead bins.
Pros of Red-Eye Flights
1: Get more hours: Because red-eye flights normally travel from coast to coast, you will gain more time as you travel across time zones (in particular, if you’re traveling east to west).
2: Save money on the flight: Red-eye flights are often less expensive than flights scheduled at other times.
3: Save money on hotel: Because you’re in the air during the night, you get to save money on accommodations.
4: Smaller crowd: Your flight experience may be more pleasant for sleeping because the plane may not be as crowded. On some flights, there could be extra empty seats to spread out and relax.
6: Maneuver through airports faster: Airports typically aren’t as busy at night as they are in the day, so you’ll get through lines faster.
Cons of Red-Eye Flights
1: Poor rest: Some people will have a hard time sleeping on a plane. If you’re one of those people, you’ll lose sleep flying at night.
2: Good food places are closed: Catching a red-eye means a lot of the food places in the airport may be closed.
3: Jet lag: If you have to cross many time zones to get to your destination, it could take a few days to get your sleep schedule regulated.
Use this the next time you’re debating between a 7:45 a.m. flight and 10:50 p.m. flight!
