How bad is jet lag flying to Austin?

It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 15 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Austin there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Austin?

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 Austin?

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 Austin

Austin is on America/Chicago. 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 Austin by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Sydney	15	← west	13,630 km	17 hours	~10 days
Tokyo	14	← west	10,540 km	13 hours	~9 days
Singapore	13	← west	15,826 km	19½ hours	~9 days
Mumbai	11	← west	14,438 km	17½ hours	~7 days
Dubai	9	← west	13,224 km	16½ hours	~6 days
Paris	7	← west	8,200 km	10½ hours	~5 days
Johannesburg	7	← west	14,734 km	18 hours	~5 days
London	6	← west	7,910 km	10 hours	~4 days
Los Angeles	2	→ east	1,972 km	3 hours	~2 days
São Paulo	2	← west	8,095 km	10½ hours	~1 day
New York City	1	← west	2,432 km	3½ 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 Austin

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Austin 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 Austin 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 Austin.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Austin?: It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 15 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Austin there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Austin?: 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 Austin?: 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.