Why is faster flying east than west

In fact, in February , a Virgin Atlantic flight managed to hit a record-breaking miles per hour on a flight from Los Angeles to London thanks to a jet stream. But these jet streams come with their own hazards too, causing unpredictable weather and turbulence, according to CN Traveler.

Travelers heading west will just have to bide their time for an extra hour or so on their flight. However, eastward flights have also been found to cause more severe jet lag , so travelers headed east should be ready for a longer recovery time , even if their flight gets in earlier than expected. By Andrea Romano October 29, You can watch a Breakdown about the jet stream here.

Since the jet stream winds go from west to east, airplanes flying eastward can take advantage of the fast moving winds and hitch a ride on this atmospheric river.

However, a plane flying to the west would be going against the winds. For example, when flying from New York to London, you are flying in the Westerlies or mid-latitudes. This will give you a tail wind, which will cause the flight path to only take around 5 to 6 hours.

Whereas, if you are flying from London to New York, you will still fly in the westerlies or mid-latitudes, but you will have a head wind. This will cause your flight to take around 7 to 8 hours. Next time you fly, pay attention to the duration of the flight and you will notice a shorter time for an eastbound flight versus a westbound flight.

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By Josh Coulson Published Nov 05, Share Share Tweet Email Comment. Related Topics Travel. Flying within a jet stream carries its own unique set of hazards. Foremost among them? Clear-air turbulence. Pilots navigate into these wind-tunnel-like air patterns, with speeds typically ranging from 80 to miles per hour, saving the airline both time and fuel and thus money.