Question for the Yanks

[Butch 3,456]

Let me put this to you guys:

 

Let's say I live in Boston or NY, either / or . If I want to travel to the following destinations, is it better to go East or West, also how long will it take?

 

Boston / NY to Dubai

 

Boston / NY to Bangkok

 

Boston / NY to Melbourne

 

Boston / NY to Cape Town

 

Not interested about the cost, but the travel time / connections / stops and direction of travel.

 

[LBJ 533]

I prefer to go east because it seems to me that total travel times are shorter and arrival times are better. To Dubai you will be able to get nonstop flights, most others probably one stop choices. For Melbourne, maybe 1 or two.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

I did a search on flight times from JFK to BKK and it is 17:50 hours

 

SFO to BKK is 17:10 hours

 

Going from NT to SF adds another 5:15 to 5:30 and another stop over.

 

If I lived in the east I would fly east.

[nkped 1,208]

I think it is more a question of great circle routing and I don't really know the answer. FWIW Until switching to 777ERs made it unnecessary, China Air or Korean Air flights with 747-400s going from JFK to Taipei or Seoul Incheon would make a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska. They did board passengers in Anchorage so it was great for me but I suspect the folks who boarded at JFK must have detested it.

Edited August 7, 2017 by nkped

[ichy2 429]

Your flight path really depends on what airline you choose and where their hubs and direct flight go. I once took a direct flight on American Airlines Chicago to Beijing. We flew over the North Pole. I took a picture of my in seat flight tracker with a heading of zero degrees. Pretty cool. I'll post it if I can find it again. The Northern lights from 32,000 feet are pretty awesome too!

 

More recently I flew via Delta direct, Seattle to Hong Kong, which took us up over Alaska, the Bearing Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, just West of Beijing and into HKG.

 

If you are traveling from Boston to South Africa, your only option is to go through Europe or the Middle East as there are no direct flights. Boston to Frankfurt for example makes an arc North over Greenland or possibly Iceland. So in reality, you must go North to go South.

 

If you are flying Boston to Bangkok, it is a shorter distance to go WNW than to go east.

 

LAX to Australia, on the other hand, arcs south.

 

Take a look at this link for an idea of major flight paths:

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22690684

 

This link is more fun if you have Google Earth installed:

 

http://www.barnabu.co.uk/animated-flightpaths-in-google-earth/

Edited August 8, 2017 by ichy2

[jacko 8,814]

And sometimes it isn't just about distance. Better to have a tailwind than a headwind.

Generally it is quicker to fly West to East, as that is the direction of jetstreams, located North and South of the Equator. Something to do with warmer air rising at the equator going north and south and accellerating relative to the ground due to rotation of the earth.

 

Anyone who has flown back and forth UK-USA knows the flight is much longer heading back to UK.

[4wheels 119]

I prefer to go east because it seems to me that total travel times are shorter and arrival times are better. To Dubai you will be able to get nonstop flights, most others probably one stop choices. For Melbourne, maybe 1 or two.

 

Bonita Springs is only 35 minutes from me.

[4wheels 119]

Your flight path really depends on what airline you choose and where their hubs and direct flight go. I once took a direct flight on American Airlines Chicago to Beijing. We flew over the North Pole. I took a picture of my in seat flight tracker with a heading of zero degrees. Pretty cool. I'll post it if I can find it again. The Northern lights from 32,000 feet are pretty awesome too!

 

More recently I flew via Delta direct, Seattle to Hong Kong, which took us up over Alaska, the Bearing Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, just West of Beijing and into HKG.

 

If you are traveling from Boston to South Africa, your only option is to go through Europe or the Middle East as there are no direct flights. Boston to Frankfurt for example makes an arc North over Greenland or possibly Iceland. So in reality, you must go North to go South.

 

If you are flying Boston to Bangkok, it is a shorter distance to go WNW than to go east.

 

LAX to Australia, on the other hand, arcs south.

 

Take a look at this link for an idea of major flight paths:

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22690684

 

This link is more fun if you have Google Earth installed:

 

http://www.barnabu.co.uk/animated-flightpaths-in-google-earth/

 

Delta has been flying Atlanta to JNB nonstop for over a decade with a 777-200LR. Much easier to get a flight to Cape Town from JNB than including Europe and many more hours into the equation. You can also fly JFK-DKR nonstop if you feel the need.

Edited August 8, 2017 by 4wheels

[ichy2 429]

Delta has been flying Atlanta to JNB nonstop for over a decade with a 777-200LR. Much easier to get a flight to Cape Town from JNB than including Europe and many more hours into the equation. You can also fly JFK-DKR nonstop if you feel the need.

I stand corrected.

 

When I looked into South Africa a few years ago, I could not find a direct flight from anywhere in the USA.

[Butch 3,456]

Interesting stuff guys and thanks for the responses. I'd not actually taken into account the rotation of the Earth concerning flight times and the fact that many flights go "over the top" rather than across.

Damn, it's fuddled my brain now.

[js007 795]

At this point, I'd make some effort to keep from flying over what might become a war zone.

[ttk 236]

At this point, I'd make some effort to keep from flying over what might become a war zone.

 

Airlines tend to be up to date on this. I used to fly AMS-BAH 2 times a year. Flights used to skip flying over Iraq until the air force threat was eliminated. Then they over Iraq

Edited August 9, 2017 by ttk

[Butch 3,456]

 

Airlines tend to be up to date on this. I used to fly AMS-BAH 2 times a year. Flights used to skip flying over Iraq until the air force threat was eliminated. Then they over Iraq

 

Ever since the tragic MH17 event, I think Airlines are these days slightly more careful about where they fly over. I seem to recall the reporter saying that the previous flight over that area prior to MH17 was an EVA service, possibly to or from AMD or CDG.

[js007 795]

Anything can happen with the North Korea thing. Anyway, I wouldn't be booking any tickets with a stop in Seoul. Maybe I'm being paranoid?

[PigBoy#1 28]

Anything can happen with the North Korea thing. Anyway, I wouldn't be booking any tickets with a stop in Seoul. Maybe I'm being paranoid?

Unfortunately, i have already purchased my ticket on Asiana for late December departure.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Anything can happen with the North Korea thing. Anyway, I wouldn't be booking any tickets with a stop in Seoul. Maybe I'm being paranoid?

 

This article goes back to 2009 Flight paths were changed back then because of North Korea's bellicose behavior.

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29544823/ns/travel-news/t/n-korea-threats-force-change-flight-paths/#.WYsa8VGGOUk

 

If a shooting war were to break out with North Korea (we are still technically still at war from the Korean War), it could drag in China, Taiwan and Japan.

 

There are many threats in air travel. Australia recently stopped a terrorist plan to blow up an airliner. What I believe I heard was that military grade explosives were seized. Those may have come from Turkey.

 

It is a dangerous world but incidents resulting in fatalities due to nefarious human behavior are rather small in comparison to the total amount of flights daily.

[Bob Belzy 150]

Interesting stuff guys and thanks for the responses. I'd not actually taken into account the rotation of the Earth concerning flight times and the fact that many flights go "over the top" rather than across.

Damn, it's fuddled my brain now.

 

Also factor in the crossing of the international date line. Depending on direction of travel, you can gain or lose a day's holiday.

[4wheels 119]

Anything can happen with the North Korea thing. Anyway, I wouldn't be booking any tickets with a stop in Seoul. Maybe I'm being paranoid?

 

My November trip is,but the other 3 are via Shanghai.

[nkped 1,208]

Anything can happen with the North Korea thing. Anyway, I wouldn't be booking any tickets with a stop in Seoul. Maybe I'm being paranoid?

 

Unfortunately I don't think so, but unless your timing is exceptionally bad you'll either be fine or the flight will be canceled.

[4wheels 119]

Unfortunately I don't think so, but unless your timing is exceptionally bad you'll either be fine or the flight will be canceled.

 

Or KAL 007....

[Butch 3,456]

 

Or KAL 007....

 

LOL That's some positive thinking there!

[nkped 1,208]

Or KAL 007....

The world has changed enough that I could imagine a trans Pacific captain or first officer keeping the information for an emergency divert to Vladivostok in his back pocket. Even lil' Kim isn't crazy enough to launch on Russia.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

Or KAL 007....

 

That happened in 1983 and had to do with the former Soviet Union.

 

We are discussing a hot war involving the Korean peninsula.

 

KAL 007 is akin to Egypt Air flight 804, a couple of Malaysian Air flights or Germanwings flight 9525.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Unfortunately I don't think so, but unless your timing is exceptionally bad you'll either be fine or the flight will be canceled.

 

I think you nailed it.

[redwood13 56]

2018 Winter Olympics are to be held in South Korea 09 Feb - 25 Feb.