Beating Jet Lag
Jet Lag. 0/10. Would not recommend.
When you only have a few days somewhere, jet lag can take up more of the trip than it should.
There are five main flight patterns to think about, and once I’m crossing more than three time zones, I start preparing ahead of time. The goal is simple: start living closer to your destination’s clock before you even get on the plane.
A small adjustment early makes a noticeable difference once you land.
Key Points
I’ve taken more than 50 long-haul flights, and these are the habits I’ve found that consistently make a difference.
Avoid Alcohol: Alcohol is basically thrown at you in an airport, but it does nothing for your sleep cycle. If my flight is under eight hours, I cut it off at the lounge. After reaching my destination, I also avoid drinking during the day so I do not give myself an excuse to nap.
Seat Selection: If I plan to sleep, I take a window. If I plan to stay awake, I take an aisle. Nothing kills sleep faster than someone climbing over you every 30 minutes.
Shift Your Sleep: Adjusting when you wake up or go to bed by even an hour or two makes a real difference. If I’m flying from NYC to Europe that evening, I’ll get up earlier than usual. It makes it easier to fall asleep on the flight and gets you ahead of the time change.
Avoid the Nap Trap: No matter what, avoid the nap. Once you land at your destination, if you sleep during the day, you’re just delaying the adjustment. Get outside, stay active, and push through.
Fly Longer: If you’re visiting multiple destinations, try to make the flight where you plan to sleep the longest leg. Flying from NYC to Rome instead of London gives you more time in the air, which means more time to sleep and adjust.
Business Class Upgrade
Business class is not just about comfort. It is about what that comfort is worth on a specific flight.
When deciding whether to upgrade, travelers often forget to value the full benefit of a lie flat seat compared with sitting in the back of the plane.
Luggage: Business class tickets often include up to two free checked bags. If you do not have an airline branded credit card and are bringing a lot with you, that can add up to real savings.
Lounge Access: Lounge access can run up to $75 for a single entry. With a connection, you may even get to use this twice.
Hotel Replacement: If the flight lets you sleep properly, I compare part of the upgrade cost to what I would have paid for a hotel night.
Time on Board: The longer the flight, the more hours you have to actually use the seat. This is where cost per hour starts to matter.
Time at Destination: The shorter the trip, the more valuable a good night of sleep becomes.
My Latest Example: A $2,600 business class fare from NYC to Budapest sounds tempting, but after backing out one checked bag, two lounge visits, and a hotel night, I’m still left with roughly $2,100 of seat value. On a seven-hour flight, that comes out to about $300 per hour, which is not great value for Lufthansa. I would rather see that closer to the $200 per hour range.
The value per hour changes from one airline to another, and it can even change depending on the aircraft. I talk about this more in my Business Class Rankings.
West to East: Short Overnight
NYC to London is the classic version. You are shifting several hours forward, but you do not have much time to sleep.
This is the toughest category and the one where preparation matters most. Wake up earlier that morning and stay active so your body is ready to sleep.
Cut off alcohol, take a melatonin, and choose a window seat. The goal is to fall asleep as quickly as possible once you are in the air.
West to East: Long Overnight
Flights like Tokyo to NYC give you more time in the air, but the time shift is much larger.
Start adjusting your body a day before you fly. Stay up slightly later, sleep in slightly longer, and begin moving your rhythm in the right direction before you board.
Once on the plane, align your sleep with your destination’s time. You have more flexibility here than on a short overnight flight, but the discipline still matters.
West to East: Daytime
West Coast to East Coast flights are the biggest time sinks in travel. You lose most of the day and still arrive late.
This one is not about sleeping. It is about managing energy. Get up early, stay active, and remain awake for the entire flight.
You will land tired and hungry, so plan for that. Eat well before boarding and push through the evening once you arrive.
East to West: Long Haul
Flights like NYC to Tokyo are long enough to reset your schedule mid-air.
Stay awake early in the flight and sleep closer to your destination’s nighttime. If you time it right, you can land tired in a useful way and fall into a normal rhythm that night.
East to West: Daytime Return
Returning from Europe, flights leave early and land mid-day. This is where people make the biggest mistake.
The trick is a short power nap, not real sleep. You want to take the edge off without resetting your body clock.
Stay awake once you land. If you fully nap, you will not sleep that night and will carry jet lag into the next day.
North to South / South to North
Flights like NYC to Brazil or Europe to Africa involve long travel but minimal time change.
This is more about comfort than jet lag. Sleep if it is overnight, stay awake if it is daytime, and you will be fine.
The Plane Matters
Surprisingly, the type of aircraft you fly can make a big difference. Newer planes are noticeably better than older ones, and the quality of the cabin matters more than people think.
I’m partial to Boeing, and the 787 is my favorite long-haul aircraft. If I can line up a trip on a 787, it’s usually worth it. If you want to get a little plane-nerdy, the cabin on the 787 is pressurized to a lower effective altitude than older models like the 777, which actually helps reduce jet lag. If I’m trying to sleep, I’m much more willing to splurge on a better seat on this type of plane. Airbus A350 has become a closer second above the older 777 aircraft that are flying on most routes.
For flights longer than six hours, I avoid single-aisle aircraft like the Boeing 757, 737 or Airbus 321 family. They usually have fewer bathrooms and they fill up fast. It’s not always possible to avoid them, but the extra space and additional bathrooms on longer flights can make a real difference.
Part of Traveling Well
Beating jet lag is not about feeling perfect. It is about giving yourself a better chance to arrive ready, especially when the trip is short.