How bad is jet lag flying to Mexico City?

It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 16 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 11 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Mexico City there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Mexico City?

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 Mexico City?

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 Mexico City

Mexico City is on America/Mexico_City. 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 Mexico City by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Sydney	16	← west	12,973 km	16 hours	~11 days
Tokyo	15	← west	11,307 km	14 hours	~10 days
Singapore	14	← west	16,610 km	20½ hours	~9 days
Mumbai	12	← west	15,646 km	19 hours	~8 days
Dubai	10	← west	14,346 km	17½ hours	~7 days
Paris	8	← west	9,196 km	11½ hours	~5 days
Johannesburg	8	← west	14,584 km	18 hours	~5 days
London	7	← west	8,929 km	11½ hours	~5 days
São Paulo	3	← west	7,431 km	9½ hours	~2 days
New York City	2	← west	3,359 km	4½ hours	~1 day
Los Angeles	1	→ east	2,491 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 Mexico City

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

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Mexico City?: It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 16 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 11 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Mexico City there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Mexico City?: 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 Mexico City?: 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.