How bad is jet lag flying to Sydney?

It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 17 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 17 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Sydney there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Sydney?

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 Sydney?

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 Sydney

Sydney is on Australia/Sydney. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling east is the harder direction. Shift your bedtime earlier for several days beforehand and seek bright morning light on arrival.

Jet lag to Sydney by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Los Angeles	17	→ east	12,074 km	15 hours	~17 days
New York City	14	→ east	15,989 km	19½ hours	~14 days
São Paulo	13	→ east	13,358 km	16½ hours	~13 days
London	9	→ east	16,994 km	20½ hours	~9 days
Paris	8	→ east	16,961 km	20½ hours	~8 days
Johannesburg	8	→ east	11,041 km	13½ hours	~8 days
Dubai	6	→ east	12,039 km	15 hours	~6 days
Mumbai	5	→ east	10,156 km	12½ hours	~5 days
Singapore	2	→ east	6,299 km	8 hours	~2 days
Tokyo	1	→ east	7,826 km	10 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 Sydney

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

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Sydney?: It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 17 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 17 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Sydney there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Sydney?: 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 Sydney?: 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.