How long is the flight from New York to London?

A nonstop flight from New York JFK to London Heathrow takes approximately 7 to 7 hours 30 minutes. The return flight is longer at about 8 to 8 hours 30 minutes due to flying against the jet stream. It's one of the most popular transatlantic routes with dozens of daily flights.

What is the shortest flight from the US to Europe?

The shortest transatlantic flights go from Boston to Reykjavik, Iceland at about 5 hours. Boston and New York to Dublin, Ireland are also very short at 6 to 6.5 hours. Lisbon, Portugal is another surprisingly quick option from the East Coast at around 6.5 to 7 hours.

How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Europe?

Nonstop flights from Los Angeles to major European cities take 10 to 12 hours. LAX to London is about 10 hours 15 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes. LAX to Paris is about 10 hours 30 minutes to 11 hours. Flights to Eastern Mediterranean cities like Athens are longer at 12+ hours.

Why is the flight from Europe back to the US longer?

Westbound flights (Europe to US) fight against the jet stream, a fast-moving river of air at cruising altitude that flows west to east. This can add 60 to 90 minutes to the return trip. For example, New York to London is about 7 hours, but London to New York is about 8 to 8.5 hours.

Do I need to fly nonstop to Europe from the US?

No, but nonstop is strongly recommended from the East Coast where options are plentiful. From the West Coast or Midwest, connecting through an East Coast hub like JFK or Newark is common and often cheaper. If connecting in Europe, Amsterdam and Frankfurt offer the smoothest connections.

How Long Is the Flight to Europe?

The Quick Answer

From the East Coast, you're looking at 6.5 to 8.5 hours nonstop. From the Midwest, expect 8 to 10 hours. From the West Coast, it's 9.5 to 12 hours. The return flight is almost always longer -- sometimes by an hour or more -- because you're flying against the jet stream.

"Europe" is a big place, so the exact flight time depends heavily on both your departure city and your destination. Flying from New York to Dublin is under 7 hours. Flying from Los Angeles to Athens is pushing 13 hours. Same continent, vastly different trips.

Flight Times to London

London (Heathrow, Gatwick, or Stansted) is the most common transatlantic destination from the U.S. Here's what to expect from major cities:

New York (JFK): 7 hours to 7 hours 30 minutes
Boston (BOS): 6 hours 45 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes
Washington DC (IAD): 7 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours
Miami (MIA): 9 hours to 9 hours 30 minutes
Atlanta (ATL): 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours
Chicago (ORD): 8 hours to 8 hours 30 minutes
Dallas (DFW): 9 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours
Denver (DEN): 9 hours 15 minutes to 9 hours 45 minutes
Los Angeles (LAX): 10 hours 15 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes
San Francisco (SFO): 10 hours to 10 hours 30 minutes
Seattle (SEA): 9 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours

Boston and New York have the shortest flights to London because they're the closest major U.S. airports to Western Europe. If you live in the Northeast, a flight to London is shorter than flying to Los Angeles.

Flight Times to Paris

Paris (Charles de Gaulle, CDG) is another massively popular transatlantic route:

New York (JFK): 7 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours 45 minutes
Boston (BOS): 7 hours to 7 hours 30 minutes
Washington DC (IAD): 8 hours to 8 hours 30 minutes
Chicago (ORD): 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours
Miami (MIA): 9 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours
Atlanta (ATL): 9 hours to 9 hours 30 minutes
Dallas (DFW): 10 hours to 10 hours 30 minutes
Los Angeles (LAX): 10 hours 30 minutes to 11 hours

Paris flights are roughly 15-30 minutes longer than London flights from the same city, since Paris is a bit farther east. The difference is negligible, but it does add up.

Flight Times to Other Popular European Cities

Western Europe

Dublin (DUB) from New York: 6 hours 30 minutes -- one of the shortest transatlantic flights
Dublin from Boston: 6 hours 15 minutes
Amsterdam (AMS) from New York: 7 hours 30 minutes
Lisbon (LIS) from New York: 7 hours
Lisbon from Boston: 6 hours 30 minutes
Madrid (MAD) from New York: 7 hours 30 minutes
Barcelona (BCN) from New York: 8 hours

Central and Southern Europe

Rome (FCO) from New York: 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours
Rome from Chicago: 9 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours
Munich (MUC) from New York: 8 hours 15 minutes
Zurich (ZRH) from New York: 8 hours
Frankfurt (FRA) from New York: 7 hours 45 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes

Northern and Eastern Europe

Reykjavik (KEF) from New York: 5 hours 30 minutes -- the absolute shortest transatlantic option
Reykjavik from Boston: 5 hours
Copenhagen (CPH) from New York: 8 hours
Stockholm (ARN) from New York: 8 hours 15 minutes
Athens (ATH) from New York: 10 hours to 10 hours 30 minutes

Notice the pattern: the farther south and east you go in Europe, the longer the flight. Iceland and Ireland are the closest. Greece and Turkey are the farthest. Portugal and Spain fall somewhere in the middle -- surprisingly close due to their western location.

Why the Flight Home Is Longer

The jet stream is the reason your return flight takes longer. This river of fast-moving air at cruising altitude flows from west to east across the Atlantic. Flying to Europe (eastbound), you ride the jet stream and it pushes you along. Flying home (westbound), you fight against it.

The difference can be dramatic:

New York to London: About 7 hours
London to New York: About 8 hours to 8 hours 30 minutes

That's up to 90 minutes longer on the way back. The jet stream is strongest in winter, so the gap between eastbound and westbound flight times is biggest during cold months. In summer, the difference shrinks a bit.

Airlines know this and schedule accordingly. Don't be surprised if your outbound flight departs at 7 PM and arrives at 7 AM, while your return departs at 10 AM and arrives at 2 PM -- the time zone math combined with the jet stream creates these schedules.

Which Airlines Fly the Atlantic?

The transatlantic market is one of the most competitive in aviation. You've got plenty of options:

U.S. Airlines

United Airlines: Huge transatlantic network from Newark and Washington Dulles. Polaris business class is solid.
Delta Air Lines: Strong European network from Atlanta, New York JFK, and other hubs. Delta One is a premium product.
American Airlines: Major transatlantic presence from Philadelphia, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, and Miami.
JetBlue: Flies to London from JFK and Boston with a surprisingly good business class (Mint).

European Airlines

British Airways: Extensive service from multiple U.S. cities to London Heathrow.
Lufthansa: Connects many U.S. cities to Frankfurt and Munich, with easy onward connections.
Air France: U.S. to Paris CDG, with connections throughout Europe.
KLM: Flies to Amsterdam Schiphol, one of Europe's best connecting airports.
Icelandair: Routes through Reykjavik with free stopovers in Iceland. Great for adding a bonus destination.
TAP Air Portugal: Connects through Lisbon with competitive fares to Southern Europe.
Norse Atlantic / PLAY: Budget options on transatlantic routes if you want bare-bones fares.

For the best experience, I'd prioritize based on what matters most to you. For price, compare the budget options. For comfort, the premium cabins on Delta, United, JetBlue Mint, and the European flag carriers are all excellent for overnight flights.

Nonstop vs. Connecting

Nonstop flights are available from most major U.S. cities to the biggest European airports (London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dublin). Smaller European cities often require a connection.

If you're connecting in Europe, some hubs are better than others:

Amsterdam (AMS): Compact, efficient, easy connections. One of the best
Frankfurt (FRA): Large but well-organized. Lufthansa's main hub
London Heathrow (LHR): Massive and spread out. Allow 2+ hours for connections between terminals
Paris CDG: Can be confusing. Terminal changes require shuttle buses. Allow extra time
Reykjavik (KEF): Small and fast. Icelandair connections are smooth

From the West Coast, a one-stop through a U.S. East Coast city (JFK, EWR, IAD) is often better than flying directly -- more flight options and sometimes cheaper. From the East Coast, always go nonstop if available.

Overnight vs. Daytime Flights

Most U.S.-to-Europe flights depart in the evening and arrive the next morning. This is the classic "red-eye" transatlantic schedule. The idea is you sleep on the plane and arrive fresh. In practice, sleeping in economy across the Atlantic is challenging.

Daytime flights do exist, particularly from East Coast cities. They depart in the morning and arrive in the late evening European time. The advantage is you don't lose a night of sleep. The disadvantage is you arrive late and essentially lose a day.

My preference: take the overnight flight if you can sleep on planes. Take the daytime flight if you can't sleep sitting up -- at least you won't be exhausted and jet-lagged simultaneously.

Tips for Surviving the Transatlantic Flight

Set your watch to the destination time zone as soon as you board. Start adjusting mentally right away.
Skip the alcohol. It dehydrates you and wrecks your sleep quality. Drink water instead.
Bring noise-canceling headphones. They're essential for sleeping on a plane full of cabin noise.
Wear compression socks. A 7-10 hour flight is long enough for your legs and feet to swell.
Get an aisle seat on the way over. You'll want bathroom access without climbing over sleeping neighbors.
Don't nap when you arrive. Force yourself to stay up until local bedtime. It's the fastest way to beat jet lag.
Pack essentials in your personal item: Toothbrush, face wipes, eye mask, earplugs, and a change of clothes if your bag gets delayed.

Best Time to Book Transatlantic Flights

Cheapest months to fly: January through March, and October through mid-December (excluding holidays)
Most expensive: June through August is peak season. Christmas and New Year's are brutal.
Book 2-4 months in advance for the best fares on transatlantic routes
Midweek departures (Tuesday, Wednesday) are almost always cheaper than weekend flights
Position yourself for deals: Sign up for fare alerts from Google Flights, Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights), or Secret Flying. Transatlantic mistake fares and flash sales happen regularly.