Jet Lag Calculator
Enter your departure and arrival cities with your flight times to see the time-zone difference, the local arrival time and a suggested adjustment plan.
Time-zone difference
-7 hours
Direction
westward (you gain time)
Local arrival time
05:00
Suggested adjustment
About 6 day(s) — roughly one hour per day
Adjustment plan
Shift your sleep schedule by one hour a day for a few days before you fly, in the direction of travel. On board, set your watch to the destination time as soon as you sit down. Seek morning light if travelling east, and evening light if travelling west — light is the strongest signal to your body clock. Stay hydrated and avoid heavy alcohol and caffeine during the flight. On arrival, eat and sleep on local time even if you are tired; short naps of 20–30 minutes are fine.
How this was worked out
- Step 1Difference = destination offset (-5) − departure offset (2) = -7 hours
- Step 2Arrival local time = departure + flight time + difference = 05:00
General guidance only. If you have a medical condition or sleep disorder, ask a healthcare professional for personalised advice.
Formula
Time-zone difference = destination UTC offset − departure UTC offset
Example
Input
UTC+2 to UTC−5, 15-hour flight departing 21:00
Result
Arrive 09:00 local time; −7 hours
Frequently asked questions
Most people find travelling east harder, because the day shortens and it is harder to fall asleep earlier.
Yes — long flights with several time zones crossed and poor sleep on board tend to cause more jet lag.
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