Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > America - USA > Hawaii
Reload this Page >

Flight length difference from east coast?

Register
Community
Wiki Posts
Today's Posts
Search
Vendor Directory

Flight length difference from east coast?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 7:43 am
  #1  
AnthonyGT
Original Poster
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 168
Flight length difference from east coast?
Researching flights to Hawaii for next summer, I noticed what seems like a large difference in flight lengths leaving from either JFK (Hawaiian) or IAD (United). A sample of flights next June shows:

JFK-HNL on Hawaiian flight time of 12:30.
IAD-NHL on United flight time of 10:25.

I realize IAD is farther west than JFK, but a 2 hour difference seems like a lot. Is this correct?

Thank you!

Tony
AnthonyGT is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 9:02 am
  #2  
tvelinsk
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Royal Oak, MI 48067
Programs: Delta Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 809
Part of the difference may be the amount of baked-in taxi time between the two airports - I believe at JFK they expect very long waits for take-off... Also difference in equipment? Different planes have different cruising speeds...
tvelinsk is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 9:12 am
  #3  
sbm12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited20 Countries Visited30 Countries Visited20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Seems like HA has added some serious schedule padding there. They have the same flight blocked at ~11 hours in October of this year.
sbm12 is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 10:06 am
  #4  
AnthonyGT
Original Poster
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 168
Thank you for the responses. It does seems like HA has baked in a fair amount of additional time. I felt like departing from IAD should save about 45 - 60 minutes, not 2 hours.
AnthonyGT is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 2:56 pm
  #5  
PainCorp
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,887
Originally Posted by AnthonyGT
Thank you for the responses. It does seems like HA has baked in a fair amount of additional time. I felt like departing from IAD should save about 45 - 60 minutes, not 2 hours.
Makes the transition to "Island Time" easier.
PainCorp is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 21, 2013 | 5:20 pm
  #6  
jw3putt
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum 3mm, Starwood Gold
Posts: 227
Originally Posted by AnthonyGT
Researching flights to Hawaii for next summer, I noticed what seems like a large difference in flight lengths leaving from either JFK (Hawaiian) or IAD (United). A sample of flights next June shows:

JFK-HNL on Hawaiian flight time of 12:30.
IAD-NHL on United flight time of 10:25.

I realize IAD is farther west than JFK, but a 2 hour difference seems like a lot. Is this correct?

Thank you!

Tony
Note that Hawaii does not observe daylight savings. As a result time difference between JFK and HNL is 6 hours during daylight savings and 5 hours during standard times. (flight time on flight 51 JFK - HNL is 11:30 in December)
jw3putt is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 22, 2013 | 5:10 pm
  #7  
thebat
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CO, UA, AA, WN, DL Gold
Posts: 2,981
1070
According to Webflyer, there is 160 mile difference in distance on those routes. At 500mph, that should only account for 15 or 20 minutes. For the two hour difference, it would take over 1000 miles probably.
Last edited by thebat; Jul 23, 2013 at 6:09 am
thebat is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 22, 2013 | 5:35 pm
  #8  
nissan720
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Oklahoma
Programs: MR LT Platinum, HH Diamond, WN A-List,
Posts: 478
Originally Posted by thebat
According to Webflyer, there is 1000+ mile difference in distance on those routes.
I think you stuck a extra zero in that number. From Great Circle Mapper
IAD-HNL 4817 mi
JFK-HNL 4983 mi
nissan720 is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 23, 2013 | 6:11 am
  #9  
thebat
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CO, UA, AA, WN, DL Gold
Posts: 2,981
Originally Posted by nissan720
I think you stuck a extra zero in that number. From Great Circle Mapper
IAD-HNL 4817 mi
JFK-HNL 4983 mi
You are right, a little fat fingering there. I did edit to correct.
thebat is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 29, 2013 | 7:05 pm
  #10  
Lavarock7
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Captain Cook, HI, USA
Programs: BA, DL, HA, etc
Posts: 987
Originally Posted by sbm12
Seems like HA has added some serious schedule padding there. They have the same flight blocked at ~11 hours in October of this year.
If you add an extra 2 hours to the flight time, you won't be late as often.

Flightaware might tell the real story.

Hey, jw3putt, is the mainland STILL doing that time thing where they change their clock by an hour. What a waste of time. Everybody, set your clocks 1/2 instead and leave them there forever.

Clocks? We don't need no stinkin clocks.
Lavarock7 is offline  
Reply
Old Jul 29, 2013 | 7:24 pm
  #11  
Often1
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
Originally Posted by AnthonyGT
Thank you for the responses. It does seems like HA has baked in a fair amount of additional time. I felt like departing from IAD should save about 45 - 60 minutes, not 2 hours.
The published schedule shows block times (gate-to-gate roughly). You are looking at air miles. Apples & oranges.
Often1 is offline  
Reply



Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.