Flight Arrival Time & Jet Lag Calculator

Know When You'll Actually Land

"We land at 6 AM" sounds simple until you cross five time zones and realize that's 6 AM local — which is 1 AM back home, after a sleepless overnight flight. This calculator does the time zone math for you, showing exactly what local time you'll arrive and how much jet lag to expect.

Why Jet Lag Happens

Your body runs on an internal circadian clock tuned to your home time zone. When you cross several zones quickly, that clock is suddenly out of sync with the local day-night cycle. The result is fatigue, trouble sleeping, and grogginess until your body gradually resets — typically about a day per time zone crossed.

Eastward vs Westward Travel

Flying east — say from the US to Europe — means losing hours and trying to sleep when your body thinks it's still afternoon. This is generally harder to adjust to. Flying west, you gain hours and stay up later, which most people find easier. Plan your first day accordingly: take it easy after an eastward red-eye.

How to Beat Jet Lag

You can blunt most of jet lag with a little planning. In the few days before you fly, shift your bedtime an hour toward your destination's clock. On arrival, get outside in daylight as soon as you can — sunlight is the strongest signal for resetting your body clock — and try to eat and sleep on local time immediately rather than napping at odd hours. Stay hydrated, go easy on alcohol and caffeine on the plane, and for eastward trips some travelers use a small dose of melatonin in the evening. A loose rule is that it takes about one day per time zone to fully adjust, so for big crossings, plan a gentle first day.

Scheduling Calls and Arrivals Across Time Zones

Time-zone math trips up even seasoned travelers — the date can change mid-flight, and "9 am their time" is easy to get backwards. To compare a specific clock time between two places rather than a flight, use the time zone & meeting planner. To see when you'll touch down in local time, pair this calculator with your estimated flight time — enter your departure time, add the duration, and apply the offset shown above. That's how you avoid booking an airport pickup for the wrong day or scheduling a work call in the middle of someone's night.

Don't Forget Daylight Saving

Many countries shift their clocks twice a year — and not on the same dates. For a few weeks each spring and autumn, the usual offset between two cities can be an hour off what you expect. This calculator accounts for daylight saving automatically based on the travel date, but it's always worth double-checking around the changeover weeks if your timing is tight.