Have you ever considered taking a daytime transatlantic flight to Europe instead of a redeye? While over 95% of the transatlantic flights from the US to Europe are red eyes, primary due to the 6 hour time change, there are actually several daytime flights to London-Heathrow that you may want to consider if you’re trying to avoid jet lag.
If you’re looking to redeem your credit card points or airlines miles for daytime flights to Europe, we recommend using the Juicy Miles award booking service, who can help you redeem for the lowest amount of miles, as well as using partner airlines.
Every time I’ve been to Europe, it takes me a couple of days to get over the jet lag, which doesn’t help that I can’t sleep on planes, which is why I think taking a daytime flight to Europe could be a good idea. You’re able to stay awake during the flight, land in the evening, go out for dinner and then when you’re tired head to bed.
This seems like a much better option to me, than taking a redeye, not being able to sleep, getting in super early the next morning and then having to stay up the whole day.
US gateway cities that offer daytime transatlantic flights to Europe include New York (JFK), Newark, Chicago (ORD), Washington-Dulles (IAD), and Boston. All these cities offer daytime service to London Heathrow.
Here’s a look at some airlines that offer daytime flights from the US to Europe:
New York (JFK) to London (LHR) on Virgin Atlantic:
New York (JFK) to London (LHR) on American Airlines:
New York (JFK) to London (LHR) on British Airways:
Washington Dulles (IAD) to London (LHR) on United:
I was able to find several daytime flights from the US to London-Heathrow, but am interested to know which other European cities offer daytime flights from the US? I’ve never taken a daytime flight to Europe, but am strongly considering this option on my text trip across the pond.
If you’re looking to redeem your credit card points or airlines miles for daytime flights to Europe, we recommend using the Juicy Miles award booking service, who can help you redeem for the lowest amount of miles, as well as using partner airlines.
Are you a fan of taking a daytime flight to Europe to avoid jet lag? Feel free to share your thoughts below.
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My take on this is there’s not much you can to completely avoid jet lag 100%. Look at all the arrival times of these flights, they’re 9pm, 10pm, etc while your (East Coast) body clock says it’s only 3pm, 4pm, etc – but it’s already dark as heck. What that means is you might stay up all night (or until 3am) and bleary-eyed the following morning.
On the other hand, you could try to tire yourself out during the transatlantic flight so that you arrive dead tired and ready for bed.
It’s a gamble either way.
Just took JFK to LHR on Monday and no real sign of jet lag. And we arrived at 931 but the best thing arriving at 930ish was there were only 10 people in front of me at customs ( miracle ) Love daytime flights to Europe
I have traveled back & forth US-UK primarily for 40 years and have found the daytime flights do make a noticeable difference. I cannot explain why, but even arriving at 11pm to your hotel after a day flight, falling asleep is remarkably easy. For me, a day flight is a luxury, as opposed to creating an extra day on my schedule.
Added benefit: Since these are not red-eyes the need for sleep is diminished. Hence using less points since sitting in the back is not as cumbersome.
Given the departure times, it seems these are only really valid if you start your trip on the East Coast or somewhere really close. Otherwise you have to kill an extra day and spend $$ on a hotel night or take a red eye to get theres, which effectively makes it a an overnight flight withe the added bonus of a stopover.
There’s also YYZ-LHR on AC
Don’t know why this would help. It has never helped me to arrive on the east coast from the west at 10 PM. It’s extra inconvenient if grabbing one night in a hotel, since I can’t sleep before the wee hours and wake up at checkout time. My two cents.
I love the daytime flight to the UK, it made a world of difference for jetlag. Are there any daytime flights to Europe? I need to get to Switzerland and the redeye is exhausting.
Having been flying transatlantic for over 35 years on business, back when day flights were quite a regular timeslot out of all major East Coast hubs on BA, AA, AF, KL et alia?
I can say that a day flight makes all the difference in the world in re: jetlag. I often had to get off an overnight flight and go straight to meetings that morning. The investors/shareholders I was negotiating with would often (IMO purposely) reschedule meetings to the Schiphol Sheraton et al at 10am knowing I’d be running at half-speed.
After the third time, I started telling them I was arriving NYC>AMS/CDG/FRA etc. – but flying the day flight to LHR, having a nice dinner and some wine plus a sleep aid and off to bed. Wake up next morning like you’re born there, then hop an 8 am puddle jumper across la Manche and walk into meeting with big fake yawns and begging for espressos. They never figured it out.
After my last overnight transatlantic overnight flight with very little sleep, arriving with a messed up neck and feeling grumpy, and then blowing the next day napping, I’ve had enough and decided to look for daytime flights. What surprised me is how few of them there are, when it makes perfect sense to do it that way. Yes it costs me an extra nights stay at a hotel in NYC the night before but that’s what an extra $150 compared with spending 5x the normal fare to fly business class? Will be trying it out for sure this time
love daytime flights from US to Europe but want to avoid Heathrow–they kill you in taxes. any other city in Europe where i can head to and avid Heathrow (or London in general)
Norwegian also has a daytime flight from JFK to Gatwick.
I too have had enough of jet lag after flying from Miami to Madrid and would welcome daylight flights. There are enough carriers so maybe if we all ask that some of them provide daylight flights they might get the idea that it would be good for their airline