Make sure to get business class so you can sleep in the later flight

10pm all day, every day. However, if you can swing another destination I'd consider the daytime flight to London, then take Eurostar to Paris. The overnight flights to Europe from the East Coast are just not long enough for proper sleep.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're opting for the earlier flight for a trip to Spain, knowing that sleep will be basically non existent on either flight. But we're booking a room at the airport hotel so we can go straight to bed when we land, and check out of that hotel at noon having gotten 4-5 hours of higher quality sleep in an actual bed before hitting the ground running.

That’s a great way to prolong jet lag.

Not true at all, this is the best plan to have a pleasant trip and avoid jet lag. I've done this when visiting people who live in the European city. If you wake up by 12 you will feel fine all day and then go to bed at 10 or 11pm.

The only potential wrinkle is sometimes the hotel will give your room away if you don't show up by a certain time so be sure to call ahead and speak to someone to this PP.

If you can sleep on planes, the 10pm.

I'm physically incapable of sleeping on planes, so I'd take the 6pm.

Anonymous wrote:We're opting for the earlier flight for a trip to Spain, knowing that sleep will be basically non existent on either flight. But we're booking a room at the airport hotel so we can go straight to bed when we land, and check out of that hotel at noon having gotten 4-5 hours of higher quality sleep in an actual bed before hitting the ground running.

We just did the earlier flight to Spain, and lucked out to find that our Airbnb was ready upon arrival because it was unoccupied the night before. Didn't sleep at all on the plane but a three hour morning nap an we were good for the rest of the day

Later flight for sure. You'll get to your hotel near check-in time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're opting for the earlier flight for a trip to Spain, knowing that sleep will be basically non existent on either flight. But we're booking a room at the airport hotel so we can go straight to bed when we land, and check out of that hotel at noon having gotten 4-5 hours of higher quality sleep in an actual bed before hitting the ground running.

That’s a great way to prolong jet lag.

I always sleep as much as I want the first day and then I'm good to go for the trip (AND... I don't get sick).

Anonymous wrote:I like the later flight because the Polaris lounge is usually mostly empty and I can eat dinner and be in bed on the aircraft within 15 minutes of departure. It's a very short flight so want to get as much sleep as possible.

This is the most DCUM response ever.

I like the later flight because the Polaris lounge is usually mostly empty and I can eat dinner and be in bed on the aircraft within 15 minutes of departure. It's a very short flight so want to get as much sleep as possible.

I always take the later one, even though I rarely if ever can sleep on a plane. Even if you can't sleep, it's better for jet lag purposes to arrive later in the morning.

I like the earlier flights as you land and it’s a late dc night - it’s only 1230am dc time and you can go to bed by 2am and wake at 7am dc time. you’ve still only slept til 1pm local time. Shower, light meal at 3pm, explore, and a dinner at 8pm and you’re on local time. I do this going to London for work all the time. Works for me for 5 and 6h time differences.

Anonymous wrote:It’s such a ridiculously short flight that if you have any hope of sleeping, take the 10 pm flight. Then land and stay up until 10 pm in France.

I wouldn't call a 7+ hour flight "ridiculously short." It's not long haul to Asia, but flying overnight to Europe is always hard on me. I end up just sleep walking for the arrival day. For me, it's rough.

I've flown to Asia a couple times and always found that despite the 12+ hour flight, I adjusted better on these flights than going to Europe. I guess it's the PM arrival, which means I'm in bed much sooner.

Later flight. The overall flight is around 7.5-8 hours. 1.5 hours after take off you'll be served dinner. 1 hour before landing you'll be served breakfast. It completely messes with whatever little sleep one hopes to get. And this would be worse with a 6.30 departure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're opting for the earlier flight for a trip to Spain, knowing that sleep will be basically non existent on either flight. But we're booking a room at the airport hotel so we can go straight to bed when we land, and check out of that hotel at noon having gotten 4-5 hours of higher quality sleep in an actual bed before hitting the ground running.

That’s a great way to prolong jet lag.

Not in my experience. Getting maybe 2hrs of sleep on a red-eye plus 4 hours of sleep in a hotel sets us up perfectly for a busy afternoon, and it's never been a problem for us to then fall asleep at 10 or 11pm local time, which is perfect.

Op here-Thank you for all of the good advice DCUMers. I booked the later flight. Happy Thanksgiving.