Why does the flight to the USA from the UK take longer than the flight bk?

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Polo

Trade winds.

Predominant winds go towards the US across the Atlantic.

Georgie

Because once you've spent a couple of weeks in the states the pilot understands how badly you want to get back to the UK and puts his foot down!
And I mean youre missing home, not that you got a prob with the US

WISE OWL

I am sure most of the above answers are right. I had assumed that the planes took a different route. Let's face it, if they all followed the same trajectory there would be more head on crashes.

Mike R

Because of wind resistance. To all the people who said time difference: the actual flying time is about half an hour longer not just the time difference. It's because the winds are not as favorable going in that direction.

cherub

wind direction

Johan from Sweden

First take the time differense into account. Then there is somethin colled jetstreams that races at the altitudes where the aircraft is flying. The ac can fly faster when they are moving in the same direction than in the opposite way. Then there is the question about howe buissy the airports are when you are flying. Buissier airports mean that the ac could be forced to wait on ground or in air. Johan

Stephen L

Some of the previous respondents are nearly there.

The "prevailing winds" are the high-altitude "jetstream" - airliners use it from east to west, to save fuel and time. Obviously they can't use it - they have to avoid it - going the other way.

Penfold

GC and Ron have it right. It is to do with the winds blowing towards the US. Simplistically, the plane has less resistance flying to the States than it does flying back to the UK.

antwan the swan

winds and earth rotation

cuddles_gb

I think you may be confusing flight time with time difference? If not, then it'll be to do with the the standard movement of air in the atmosphere - the prevailing direction will be one way rather than the other, assisting in one direction and hindering in the other.

Grev

probably has something to do with the jet stream. Not sure what that is but always here people talking about it.

superboredom

because when you fly from the U.K to the U.S the plane travels the same way as the earth rotates, which means, the plane is trying to catch up, and plus if the wind is head wind, will be even slower, and if the wind is tailwind will be a bit faster.

Alex

Earths rotation.

Jet stream.

Cut em loose Bruce

you fly against the way the world turns one way, and the other on the way back.

SkiButt

It's downhill coming back.

Queen D

It's because of the time difference.

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