We Will Never Take a Red-Eye Flight Again… Until We Do
We are on a roll this year doing things that Krissy has declared she would never do again.
Earlier this year, we flew Frontier Airlines. Then, in the same week, we slept in the back of a minivan. I'm sure there have been more, but I honestly can't keep track anymore.
We've decided the new saying should be:
"I'll never do that again... until we do it again."
Our latest adventure? Taking a red-eye flight.
On Tuesday night, we boarded a flight out of Denver at 11:50 p.m. After a layover in Baltimore, we landed in Manchester, New Hampshire, around 8:30 the next morning for a quick visit with family.
People have plenty of reasons for taking red-eye flights, but after this trip, I couldn't help wondering...
Do the benefits really outweigh the drawbacks? And are all of those "benefits" actually benefits?
The biggest argument in favor of a red-eye is that you don't waste an entire day traveling. Instead, you fly overnight and arrive the next morning ready to enjoy your destination.
But here's my question:
Did we really save a day, or did we just move our sleep to the following afternoon?
On this trip, we grabbed a few minutes of sleep on the floor in Denver, dozed in the chairs during our layover in Baltimore, and I managed to get a little sleep on the plane while Krissy didn't sleep at all. Once we arrived in New Hampshire, we were so exhausted that we ended up taking a nap that was incredibly hard to wake up from.
So yes, technically we arrived in the morning... but we weren't exactly ready to hit the ground running.
The Pros of a Red-Eye
There are definitely some advantages:
You can maximize your vacation by traveling overnight.
Flights are sometimes less expensive.
There are often more flight options available.
You can arrive in time for morning meetings or activities without paying for another hotel night.
Flights and airports tend to be quieter.
Flights may be less crowded.
PRO: We saw a puppy in a diaper!!!
The Cons We Experienced
Unfortunately, we also discovered some downsides we hadn't really considered.
The biggest disappointment was arriving at the airport hungry, only to realize nearly every restaurant and store had already closed. Our dinner choices were basically limited to whatever we could find in the self-serve snack areas.
We were also excited to try an airport lounge for the first time. We even changed terminals to get there—only to discover it had closed at 9:00 p.m., hours before our flight.
Other drawbacks included:
Most stores and restaurants are closed overnight.
There are fewer employees available if you need help.
Customer service can be harder to find.
Some airport services aren't available late at night.
Cleaning crews are hard at work, which can make the airport surprisingly noisy.
So... Would We Do It Again?
Never say never.
If a red-eye saves us a significant amount of money or gives us a lot more time at our destination, we'd probably consider it again.
But after this experience, we also realized that an "extra" day isn't much of a bonus if you're too tired to enjoy it.
For us, getting a good night's sleep and starting vacation rested might be worth paying a little more or traveling during the day.
What about you? Are you someone who can actually sleep on a plane, or do red-eye flights leave you with red eyes too?
Hope your next flight doesn't leave you with red eyes!
— Anne
