Preference for Westbound Redeyes
Apr 10, 2019, 10:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SFO, JFK/LGA, SEA
Programs: Alaska 75K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, *A Gold w/ Krisflyer Gold
Posts: 815
Preference for Westbound Redeyes
Was on B6 flight 333 from BOS to SFO (the 9:40 pm one), and it ended up being delayed until 1 a.m. for various reasons. I thought it’d be awful that I’d get no sleep on the ground but the meal service (I flew Mint) was quick and delicious and afterwards I slept the rest of the way for nearly 6 hours until landing. After a cappuccino before landing at 5 a.m., I landed feeling jazzed up and ready to make it through the day.
Anyone else prefer this schedule to the current dreadful 1:30 am scheduled SFO arrival? I bet there’s a market for such a sleep efficient flight in both cabins
Anyone else prefer this schedule to the current dreadful 1:30 am scheduled SFO arrival? I bet there’s a market for such a sleep efficient flight in both cabins
Apr 11, 2019, 1:56 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAS
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Marriott Plat., UA, NZ
Posts: 149
I've wondered the same thing, for both directions as well. I travel LAS-BOS frequently, and think I could manage a 9pm departure from LAS to get to the office after landing in the morning, but unfortunately they don't run Mint on the night flight. For Westbound, I'd try it too since I often get home after having slept 3-4 hours on the plane and am then up until 3am...
Apr 11, 2019, 4:39 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
All of the major carriers running transcons (and by that I mean East Coast to West Coast flights, not just the historic premium JFK-LAX/SFO) disagree with you. They fly west in the evening and do eastbound redeyes.
Apr 11, 2019, 5:38 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Not every carrier is right on every issue, but on the issue of Westbound TCON's their marketing data apparently agrees. That leads me to believe that your personal preference -- not to suggest that they are bad or wrong -- are not in line with the market.
In your case, you had what amounts to a 7-hour flight (01:00 xBOS to 05:00 SFO). That is longer than the ordinary flight. With an 01:00 scheduled departure and a typical arrival of 04:00 or thereabouts at SFO, people have stayed up late the night before and are at SFO too early to do much of anything for several hours. Too early to check-in at a hotel and too early to head for a meeting / office.
In your case, you had what amounts to a 7-hour flight (01:00 xBOS to 05:00 SFO). That is longer than the ordinary flight. With an 01:00 scheduled departure and a typical arrival of 04:00 or thereabouts at SFO, people have stayed up late the night before and are at SFO too early to do much of anything for several hours. Too early to check-in at a hotel and too early to head for a meeting / office.
Apr 18, 2019, 9:45 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,079
Use the BART Trip Planner to look up BART departure and arrival times. Sat: 6:30 a.m. to 11:53 p.m. Sun: 8:00 a.m. to 11:53 p.m. Sunday morning, SFO Airport trains from downtown San Francisco start at 8:45 a.m.
Apr 18, 2019, 11:49 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Miami, FL, USA
Posts: 4,047
Yeah, in my opinion part of the *definition* of red-eye is that it's eastbound! Since you "gain" time, you don't usually end up tired. Also, for operational purposes, planes would sit too long if they left at 1 or 2am eastern.