How bad is jet lag flying to Anchorage?

It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 18 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 12 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Anchorage there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Anchorage?

Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.

How long does it take to get over jet lag in Anchorage?

A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.

Jet lag when you fly to Anchorage

Anchorage is on America/Anchorage. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling west is the easier direction. Stay up later than usual before you go and get evening light once you arrive.

Jet lag to Anchorage by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Sydney	18	← west	11,828 km	14½ hours	~12 days
Tokyo	17	← west	5,563 km	7½ hours	~11 days
Singapore	16	← west	10,742 km	13½ hours	~11 days
Mumbai	14	← west	10,311 km	13 hours	~9 days
Dubai	12	← west	10,155 km	12½ hours	~8 days
Paris	10	← west	7,527 km	9½ hours	~7 days
Johannesburg	10	← west	16,118 km	19½ hours	~7 days
London	9	← west	7,196 km	9 hours	~6 days
São Paulo	5	← west	12,991 km	16 hours	~3 days
New York City	4	← west	5,410 km	7 hours	~3 days
Los Angeles	1	← west	3,766 km	5 hours	~1 day

Distances are great-circle; flight times are rough nonstop estimates. Recovery uses ~1 day per zone east, faster west.

Beating jet lag in Anchorage

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Anchorage and where you flew from, the longer it takes to catch up — roughly a day for each time zone when you travel east, and somewhat faster when you travel west, because it is easier to stay up late than to force yourself to sleep early.

A few days before you fly, nudge your sleep schedule toward Anchorage time — earlier if you are heading east, later if west. On arrival, get outside: daylight is the strongest signal for resetting your clock. Morning light helps after an eastward trip; evening light helps after a westward one. To see the exact current offset, check the current time in Anchorage.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Anchorage?: It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 18 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 12 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Anchorage there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Anchorage?: Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.
How long does it take to get over jet lag in Anchorage?: A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.