How long is considered a long flight?

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A long flight is generally considered one lasting over 6-8 hours. Flights exceeding 8-12 hours are often classified as long-haul, while ultra-long-haul flights typically surpass 12 hours.

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What constitutes a long-haul flight?

Okay, so like, what’s a long flight, right? Here’s the deal from my messy brain:

Generally, flights lasting over 6 to 8 hours are considered long-haul.

But honestly, it’s kinda subjective, I think.

For me, personally, anything over 8 hours starts to feel really long. I remember flying from, lemme see, was it Rome back to San Francisco on 14 July 2018? That was a United flight, and dear lord, I think I paid like $1200… Felt like forever.

Flights over 12 hrs? Ultra-long-haul. No question. Last time I tried to nap on a red eye, the flight attendant kept poking me for snacks. So fun, lol.

Is 5 hours considered a long flight?

Five hours? Nah.

Short haul. Think of it this way: Anything over six hours is long haul. Ten-plus hour flights exist. Get real.

My last transatlantic flight, July 2024, clocked in at 7.5 hours. Brutal.

Long-haul: 6+ hours
Ultra-long-haul: 10+ hours
My opinion: Five hours? Please.

Pro-tip: Noise-canceling headphones are your friend. Always. Seriously. Pack snacks.

What is the difference between a short flight and a long flight?

Ugh, short vs. long flights… Pilots have rules, obviously.

Short-haul: Under 3 hours. Easy peasy.
Long-haul: Over 6 hours. I can’t sit that long!

Wait, what about in-between? Oh yeah…

Medium-haul: 3-6 hours. Kinda awkward.

Three hours? Man, I drove from my mom’s in Sacramento to San Jose, California. Took at least that long. Is that considered a “flight” now? Haha. Six hours feels like forever on a plane. My back hurts just thinking about it.

Medium-haul? Honestly, who cares? Three to six hours, whatever. Just get me there. Flying to Phoenix last year felt like that. Three hours-ish? I slept, mostly.

Okay, so let’s make it clear: under three, short. Over six, long. Middle is… whatever. Why do they need to classify everything?

Short Flight (Under 3 hours)

Quick trip.
Might not even get a full movie in.
Probably regional.

Long Flight (Over 6 hours)

Ugh, so boring.
Definitely need snacks and entertainment.
Likely international (maybe?).

Medium Flight (3-6 hours)

The forgotten child.
Not short, not long… just there.
Could be domestic, could be… something else.

Do short flights have more turbulence?

Ugh, short flights. Always feel like a rollercoaster. Seriously, why? So much jostling around. Is it the altitude? I read something about low altitudes being a factor, but then some long flights are bumpy too. Makes no sense.

My last trip to Denver, bam! Crazy turbulence. Short flight, naturally. Remember that time I flew to Chicago? Smooth as silk. Go figure. It’s all about luck, I guess. Or maybe weather.

What’s the deal? Why does it feel more intense on shorter flights? Is it just perception? My anxiety levels probably rise. I need to look this up.

Low altitude turbulence: A real thing. It’s a pain.
Long flights, long turbulence?: Happens, surprisingly. It’s not always just short flights.
Weather is a big factor: I always check the forecast before flying. Duh.
Jet stream: Something about that affects things. Need to research that better.
My anxiety: Definitely plays a role. I need to relax more.

Next time I’m flying, I’m bringing my noise-canceling headphones. And maybe some chamomile tea. Planes, man. They’re a mess. I swear they’re just flying metal boxes. Flying metal boxes that make me nervous. 2024 is already proving to be a year of questionable air travel. This needs to stop.

What is considered a long distance flight?

Six hours? That’s nothing. I did a fourteen-hour flight to Sydney last year. Brutal. My back still aches. Seriously, the worst. Needed three days to recover. What a nightmare.

Anyway, long distance, huh? Depends on your perspective. For me, it’s anything over eight hours. Eight hours of cramped seating and recycled air. Ugh.

International flights are almost always long distance, right? Except maybe some short hops to Mexico. Or the Caribbean. But yeah, generally.

Key factors:

Flight duration: Over 8 hours is long for me.
Distance: Clearly transatlantic is long distance.
Number of time zones crossed: That’s a big indicator. Three time zones? That’s a long flight.

Thinking about that flight to Sydney again. The in-flight entertainment was decent, though. The movie selection was much better than on the flight to London this past spring. That was a joke. Seriously lacking.

So yeah, six hours is kinda short. More like a long regional flight. I’d call anything transcontinental a long distance flight. Definitely anything involving multiple layovers. Just thinking of all that wasted time. I need more vacation days.

My Long-Haul Flight Experiences (2024):

Sydney (14 hours): Nightmare, but awesome city.
London (8 hours): okay, but the movies sucked.
Tokyo (12 hours): Better food than London flight. Always.

Long-distance is subjective, but for ME? 8+ hours.

What is considered long range aircraft?

Long range? 7,400 km, non-stop. Give or take.

Fuel, payload… details. It shifts.

Range isn’t fixed.
Aircraft model matters.
Engine efficiency too.

My father—piloted 777s. Said everything matters. I believed him.

#Airtravel #Flighttime #Longflights

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