i am curious to know what time of day you prefer to take a transatlantic flight and why?

Travelling from Europe to North America there simply are no night flights, so - merely for that reason - I always choose a daytime flight.

Even from North America to Europe, where most flights are by night, there are very few day time options. Day time is really only viable for short eastbound hops like NYC to LON. So choice of flights really makes me fly east by night.

About the only route leaving from NY to Europe we can take a day flight is NYC-LON....having said that everything else being equal probably the best way to do it is to take the morning flight which leaves JFK at 0800 and arrives at LHR at 2000 or thereabouts...HOWEVER

Everything else isn't equal at least in my mind...arriving at 2000 with a bit of a queue at immigration, waiting for baggage before clearing customs can take even at this later hour a good 45 minutes...by the time we're out of Heathrow it's going on 2100...45 minutes to the hotel via the tube and it's 2200...probably too late for a chance at a meal and basically then to bed...while it may be very worthwhile to start out the next day refreshed which is the way it would work, to me it's almost a waste of the money it will cost for the hotel and afterall with the USD in the tank, hotel rates are pretty stiff...and what if there is a delay and I miss the last tube into central London...I know it's only money and in the context of what a holiday is costing me perhaps I shouldn't be minding my pennies but that sort of mitigates in my mind the morning flight and I continue after all these years to take the overnight flight.

I much prefer to take a morning flight to the UK but it's not doable from where I live without overnighting in Boston or NYC. I've done it but won't again.

I've never taken a day flight to Europe. But, during my last trip I took the last flight possible, leaving at 9 PM. This was the first time I have not been jet-lagged on a trip. Previous departure times ranged from 5:30 to 8 PM. I think the later the flight, the better chance that you'll be able to take a substantial nap/sleep of 4+ hours. Couple the sleep with getting the mid-day/early afternoon sun at your European destination and you'll be able to stay awake until a reasonable bedtime hour (9:30-10 PM). Then, you won't be lying awake at 4 AM.

Carrybean, My goal has been to fly to Europe during the day as I hate the feeling when I arrive after not sleeping all night.

So, I'm curious. Why wouldn't you do it again?

Thanks.

I know of no day flights to Europe from Phila. Geez...to get to Europe they probably could strap me to the wing if it was decently priced.
I would have to check my luggage tho.

When we finally did a day trip from NYC to London a few years ago, and I realized we had to get up at 4 AM to get to the airport and go through the procedures, I was asking myself, "why are we doing this again?" But when we arrived in London at 8:30 PM and then at our flat at about 10 PM, it was only 5 PM "our time" so we enjoyed a nice walk, got something light to eat (easy since we're in Covent Garden and there's lots open late) and went to bed about midnight their time. Normally that might have seemed early since it was still only 7 New York time, but since we got up at 4 -- everything sort of balanced out into a great day. We got up the next morning at 7 AM feeling like a million dollars.
We're doing the day flight again this summer.

Another BIG advantage is not trying to sleep on the plane. It's a day flight with a nice long meal, some movies, and it was very relaxing as opposed to trying to sleep. And when you arrive in London at 7 or 8 AM, you usually have to wait half the day before your hotel or flat is ready anyway.

I have taken a day flight to London twice and would not do it again out of preference.

1. I felt I "lost" a whole day on the plane;
2. The flight left at 09:00 - which meant quite an early rise for me to get to the airport in sufficient time;
3. My body felt that it was too early to go to bed when I got to my hotel in London. Not only was it a short day but I had spent most of the day sitting on a plane.

My preference is a flight at 20:00 or later. The last couple of times I've been to London I have taken a flight that has left around 23:00 - which works well for me. I eat before hand and recline the seat as soon as possible and get as much rest/sleep as possible.

We now try whenever possible to take day flights eastbound as it virtually eliminates jetlag in us. Since we live on the west coast, it requires either a redeye to Chicago or the east coast in order to position ourselves for the morning departure, which does add several hours overall to the door-to-door trip. However we feel we recoup that time in being more effective once we're in Europe. Also, sleeping on a bed knocks the socks off sleeping in a plane.

The downside is that except for one flight to Paris that I know of, only Heathrow is served with daytime flights. Good if you're overnighting at a (Priceline) LHR hotel and/or if you're flying out of LHR the next morning. Bad because it's Heathrow.

I've never taken a daytime flight, but I quite like night time flights, but that could be because I rarely have a problem sleeping on the plane. Not sure if I'd recommend my plan, but I usually get very little sleep the night before, as I tend to procrastinate and usually have ton of last minute stuff to do so I end up going to bed late and getting up early. By the time I've finished my second drink after take off I'm out cold. I ususally sleep right through meals, movies, etc. I don't really plan anything for the first day but usually end up getting in a full day anyway.

A nighttime flight allows me to leave on a Friday without missing work. With a daytime flight I'd have to leave on a Saturday and I'd lose that whole day to travel. I like traveling while I'm sleeping - it seems more productive. I don't like to waste vacation daylight in transit. I like night trains for the same reason. But I could pretty much fall asleep in a phone booth, so I don't have much of an issue with trying to function on no sleep (my wife is the same way). I supposed if I arrived in a sleep-deprived zombie state I'd feel diferently.

I am flying to France on May 16 on the soon to be inaugurated 7:45 AM flight on Air France from JFK to CDG. It arrives at 9:00 PM the same day. Although I am loathe to fly from JFK, even though I live in NYC (I usually fly from Newark Liberty, the 7:10 PM Air France flight to CDG), I wanted to try this flight so as not to be jet lagged when I arrive. I have a cheap room booked for the night I arrive. Next morning, I will take the 7:39 AM TGV from the airport to Bordeaux to pick up my rental car.

This seems to be a more civilized way to fly into Europe. I will be well rested and can hit the ground running the next morning.

I'll make a full report on the flight etc when I get back end of May.

I hate jetlag and do exactly as Patrick describes and fly out in the morning. It's not wasted time at all if it keeps me in tip-top shape for the fun ahead!

Langcraft, I'm flying to Paris the same day. I eyed that flight of yours but felt that 9pm wasn't a thrilling time to arrive. I'll take my chances Thursday morning. Sleep should be easy since I've been before and that burning anticipation should be gone. Also, I was hoping to see the mountains at sunrise again. Last time we flew to Nice first and the mountains, and then the sea were unbelievable.

I've never had the opportunity to do a day flight, but I'm a night owl and definitely not a morning person. It would kill me to be up early enough to get to the airport for a 7:45 am flight and I'd feel sour all day and then not be able to go to bed till at least 4am London time. I'm much better off taking the night flight and staying up all night (I can't sleep on planes, trains or automobiles). It's worked well for me (DH sleeps on the plane) and I don't have trouble with jet lag so I think I'll stick with it.

Belledame:

Typically, I have taken night flights to Paris i.e night flight from Newark to CDG. But as a result of not being able to sleep on the flight, I am tired when I arrive. Furthermore, since I always leave Paris for the end of my trip, I take the TGV or drive to the area I want to spend most of my time in, usually Perigord, Gascony or even the Western Loire. This time however, I am staying in the Pyrenees for 5 days and making my way north as far as La Rochelle to return the car, then the TGV back to Paris. The day flight from JFK will allow me to get a decent night's sleep. I booked a room at an IBIS for 49 euros. If I am in my room by 10PM, then I won't have any trouble sleeping, then catching the TGV the next morning for my 4 hr ride to Bordeaux to pick up car, then 2.5 hrs drive to hotel in the mountains..

I'll let you know how it works out.

Last September when we flew to London from Dulles, BA was still running the day flight and we took it.

We were traveling as cheaply as possible air fare-wise and I am unable to sleep sitting up.

We arrived at Heathrow around 9:00 PM and spent a restful night in a nearby hotel before heading out in the morning.

I didn't mind "losing" that day to air travel because if I had gotten there in the morning jetlagged out that whole day would have been essentially lost to me.

Fortunately, United now does a day flight from Dulles to LHR and on my recent trip over if I hadn't been in Business Class where I can get some sleep I would definitely have considered it.

You don't lose a day by going in the AM.

Example:
Leave 8AM on Sun, arrive 9PM same day and go to sleep. Begin your real vacation on Monday morning, refreshed.
vs.
Leave 8PM on Sunday, arrive 8AM on Mon. Begin your real vacation on Monday, but feeling jet lagged/exhausted.

For both - You are starting your real vacation on Monday, but leaving in the AM from the US gets you some sleep and a full day.

I've never been able to sleep on planes, but I still prefer taking overnight flights. On arrival I'm so excited to be in Europe that the last thing I want to do is go to sleep! Also, the last thing I want to do is sleep after having been forced into a seated position for so many hours. I have so much adrenalin, that my energy level lasts until about 5 PM, but even then I force myself to stay awake for another hour or two before going to sleep, so I can get my body returned to a somewhat normal schedule. This has always worked out well.

Some advice for those of you who have trouble sleeping on planes: When you take an overnight flight, either skip the airplane's dinner, or eat a VERY light meal. Do not drink liquor (unless you are sure it will put you to sleep). Then keep your eyes closed all through the night. Use a sleeping mask to block out light. Even though you are not sleeping, you will be getting your body accustomed to the change in hours.

Day flight = no jet lag