Red Eyes: Love em, hate em, or just necessary?
Apr 14, 2017, 9:34 am
#31
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
Apr 14, 2017, 10:04 am
#32
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
I've flown red eye SFO-IAD countless times. I love that it's possible, but it's not the best choice in all situations. It works well when I need to get east half a day sooner. I can meet someone in the morning, or drive/connect somewhere and meet before lunch, etc. But the idea that it really saves a day is misleading. I don't sleep well on planes, even in business/first, so I run out of steam during the day after I arrive. That may be a reasonable tradeoff on a leisure trip but it's risky on a business trip.
Apr 14, 2017, 12:27 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, United
Posts: 433
I'm a regular on the LAX-CMH redeye, in F. I rarely sleep well on planes, and right now, I just deal with it as a necessary evil/trade-off for my particular situation necessitating the redeye flight. I've stopped flying the redeye on work days, as I am a mess and can't function after noon at the office. I now take the Friday night redeye home, and take a long nap as soon as I get home on Saturday.
I am taking my first flight where I have lie-flat seats to Europe in May. I can't wait to see if the lack of sleep on redeyes is because of flying in general, or my inability to sleep upright.
I am taking my first flight where I have lie-flat seats to Europe in May. I can't wait to see if the lack of sleep on redeyes is because of flying in general, or my inability to sleep upright.
Apr 14, 2017, 1:35 pm
#34
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
When I lived near ORD, I'd take an SFO-ORD redeye semi-often. It made weekends visiting friends out there feel like a full weekend as opposed to just a day and a half. We could head down to Carmel or up to Sonoma for a solid two days if we wanted to.
I'd fly back on the redeye, land at ORD on Monday morning, power through a day at work, and then sleep 10 hours Monday night if needed.
That said, I was in my 20s and could sleep anywhere. I was AA Plat before EXP existed so I cleared quite a few upgrades as well.
These days, I don't take them often, except where there's no other choice (TATL, etc.).
I'd fly back on the redeye, land at ORD on Monday morning, power through a day at work, and then sleep 10 hours Monday night if needed.
That said, I was in my 20s and could sleep anywhere. I was AA Plat before EXP existed so I cleared quite a few upgrades as well.
These days, I don't take them often, except where there's no other choice (TATL, etc.).
Apr 14, 2017, 2:25 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards, COPA Connectmiles, numerous others
Posts: 6
Have never done one..
.. but I expect to sooner or later, as I'm planning to visit Asia in the next 6 months to a year (looking to visit Shenzhen, China and somewhere in the Phils).. I live in Birmingham, Alabama; should I try to leave from ATL or some other destination? New to flying that far..
Apr 14, 2017, 2:38 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United, Marriott
Posts: 26
.. but I expect to sooner or later, as I'm planning to visit Asia in the next 6 months to a year (looking to visit Shenzhen, China and somewhere in the Phils).. I live in Birmingham, Alabama; should I try to leave from ATL or some other destination? New to flying that far..
Apr 14, 2017, 3:06 pm
#38
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
Maybe it depends on the person, but to me that's not a redeye, that's just a straight up long haul flight. Depending on how much the difference is, you can probably still fly out of BHM, but you'll definitely be connecting through a different major airport before going on the main long haul flight to Asia.
I don't even know how to categorize TPAC since my sleep is so jacked up and out of alignment with the daylight outside.
Coming from a small airport, it can't hurt to price itineraries from nearby large airports as well. Sometimes you'll find it makes no difference; other times your drive to ATL saves you enough money to make it worthwhile. Might be hard to justify the extra time if you're going solo, but I've booked trips with 5-6 people where it has very much made sense to initiate the long-haul itinerary out of ORD instead of my home airport.
Apr 14, 2017, 4:26 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,594
I take redeyes at the holidays when that "wasted day recovering" is spent sitting on the couch eating cookies anyway. It doesn't matter so much if I'm a little bleary when all I have to do is get cookies from a box to my face.
Apr 14, 2017, 7:37 pm
#40
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
Love/Hate.
I spend many weekends on the west coast for work. Sometimes I say "Sure I'd like to land at 6am and not waste the whole day". Others I say "Rather just sleep in and be well rested after a hard work weekend".
I can sleep on a plane in any seat. Really depends on my mood.
I spend many weekends on the west coast for work. Sometimes I say "Sure I'd like to land at 6am and not waste the whole day". Others I say "Rather just sleep in and be well rested after a hard work weekend".
I can sleep on a plane in any seat. Really depends on my mood.
Apr 14, 2017, 9:56 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
Apr 14, 2017, 10:06 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
Apr 15, 2017, 2:16 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Rowley, MA / Edgartown, MA / Christiansted, St. Croix (USVI)
Programs: UA LT GS/4.96MM, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓, Korea SeS, APEC
Posts: 579
Maybe it depends on the person, but to me that's not a redeye, that's just a straight up long haul flight. Depending on how much the difference is, you can probably still fly out of BHM, but you'll definitely be connecting through a different major airport before going on the main long haul flight to Asia.