A red-eye flight is a commercial flight that departs at night and arrives the next morning, especially when the total flight time is insufficient for passengers to get a full nights sleep. The term "red-eye" comes from red eyes as a symptom of fatigue. Here are some key points about red-eye flights:
Causes and utilities
- For the airline, overnight flights will enable more use of aircraft that would otherwise be idle at night.
- For airports, it may be rational to divert the stream of passengers away from peak hours.
- For passengers, the traffic to and from the airport, as well as the airport experience may be less stressful at these hours.
Pros and Cons
- Many passengers will find it difficult to arrive well-rested after a night flight, especially if it is at odd hours or too short to fit into a full night's sleep.
- However, there are considerably more pros than cons to booking and flying red-eye if you understand the proper considerations and make an informed decision.
- Late-night flights are usually cheaper and less crowded.
- Passengers can arrive in an earlier time zone with a full day in their destination, rather than arriving somewhere midday or in the evening and losing a whole day to air travel.
Overall, red-eye flights can be a good option for travelers who want to save money or maximize their time at their destination, but they should be aware of the potential drawbacks, such as fatigue and difficulty sleeping on the plane.
