In this episode: I share the best time of day to fly long haul business trip. Whether you are flying red-eye to Europe or traveling to Asia, I will show you how the time of day can make the difference.
Is it better to fly in the morning or at night? What is the best time of the day to fly? When is really better to fly long-haul? The difference between a tired zombie and an energetic jet setter, all lies in the difference of the flight time that you pick.
1. Don’t book the 5 AM flight.
Don’t try to be a hero. A 5 AM flight will destroy you for the rest of the day. It is a much better deal to sleep for another hour or two in exchange for a full day of energy.
2. Book a daytime flight
You are much more likely to be productive and energetic.
For example, when I fly to Asia, the average flight time is 14-hours minimum. However, since I am usually able to book a 10 AM flight, during the next 12 hours I can work, read, watch movies. That is not much different from a busy yet product day in the office.
In contrast, when I fly from New York to Europe, most of the flight starts in the evening and arrive the next day morning.
Asides from dinner and breakfast, I only have five hours to really sleep. Although it is business class, it’s not the same as sleeping in the hotel or at home. There are always people walking by and occasional leave some announcements.
As a result, although it is less short flight and less travel time, whenever I fly to Europe I always feel more tired compared to flying to Asia. Because my buddy has to compensate for the red-eye flight.
3. Chose flights that allow time for a meal on the ground when arrives
This is not only important for your body to recharge, but also important for your mind to calm down and get ready for the journey.
One of my friends frequently travels with her team. What really frustrates her is that everyone picks the 5 PM flight. Since it’s a short US domestic trip they take the economy class with no meal service.
When they arrive at the hotel, it’s already 9 PM local time. Everyone is starving but all restaurants have closed. So everyone orders room service and go to sleep. The food is not good and it’s never a good idea to eat a lot right before sleep.
My suggestion is to make a small twist: move the flight two hours earlier.
Start out after lunch to take the 3 PM flight. They will arrive at 7 PM local time.
There is plenty of time to have a nice team dinner together in a restaurant. There is also time for everyone to get ready for the meeting the next day in the room. So they can show up the next day fully prepared and recharged.
4. For international long haul flight, try to arrive near local bedtime.
After a long haul flight and jet lag, your mind is cloudy and you look tired. It’s really not your prime time to make the perfect first impression with clients.
Once I arrived in Australia in the morning. As I had breakfast, I said to the waitress: “Can you bring a table for my milk?” And I said it twice. Then I realized, damn jet leg really lowered my IQ!
One of the best things I can think of is that after a long haul flight, I know I can go straight to my hotel. AT night there will be no line at check-in, I can get my room key right away and head straight to my room for a good sleep.
When you meet your colleague the next day this is the difference between a tired zombie and an energetic jet setter. They are or you but it’s up to you which side you show.
The best time of the day to fly is simply when you keep in mind what awaits you when you arrive.
If you enjoyed this video come to Delicate Revolt TV for more tips for travelers and doers!
Hey, I’m Tess, an entrepreneur, and owner of Delicate Revolt, where I share 1. Lessons learned by an entrepreneur; 2. How to achieve energy, efficiency, and style on business travels.
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