Why is flight time different on the same route, to versus fro? (It takes longer from E to W than from W to E).

Answer 1

Its because of the Jet Stream.

Answer 2

A lot of it has to do with weather, flight patterns, and most importatntly, head/tail winds.
If standard W to E route gives tail winds, the wind will help push the plane and give it better time.
If standard E to W route has head winds, it will eat up more time while going straight into the wind... a lot like driving a car uphill vs downhill.

Answer 3

Weather and the prevailing winds ( jet stream ) flow from west to east. Fling with the stream takes less time than flying in to the stream ( head wind ).
If your plane could only fly at 60 mph and your were flying in to a 60 mph head wind you would stand still.....

Answer 4

There are 3 reasons----
1-The affect of wind flow direction.
2-Change in the wind speed.
3-External winds called Jet Streams.

Answer 5

The flight time is different because

i)the earth is revolving from east to west and so it cause more time to reach.

We can reach faster by travelling from the West to East.

Answer 6

Its because of the high altitude winds, think this is only true in the northern hemisphere and probably 90% of the time.

Answer 7

Because of the wind currents. The airplane must fly against the current going one way; then it flies with the current coming back.

Answer 8

Because the prevailing winds at flight altitude are flowing west to east.

When you fly east to west, you are flying against the wind (head wind).

When you fly west to east, you are flying with the wind (tail wind).

Answer 9

it doesnt really take longer...from E to W gives you jetlag thats why you FEEL like it takes longer. E to W is going back in time

Answer 10

rum's answer is what his name says;

it is the prevalent west-east jet stream (northern latitudes) that makes a plane faster in that direction