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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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How to survive a redeye: My 5 top strategies as a frequent flyer
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
August 10, 2026 • 9 min read
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Quick summary
Red-eye flights are common for intercontinental travel, especially from the US to Europe, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Booking a day-use hotel room upon arrival can provide a place to rest, shower and recharge before exploring your destination.
Early check-in may be possible through hotel loyalty status, certain travel booking platforms or by politely requesting at the front desk.
Alternative strategies include using airport lounge shower suites or selecting rare daylight flights to Europe to minimize jet lag.
What to consider
Day-use hotel rooms may be available at hourly rates, and some bookings can earn loyalty points and elite night credits.
Early check-in through loyalty status or travel platforms is subject to availability and may not be guaranteed.
Daylight flights from the US to Europe are limited to select routes and airlines, so availability is restricted.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed tips on maximizing comfort after a red-eye, including specific routes for daylight flights and advice for securing affordable upgrades to premium cabins.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Taking red-eye flights is a reality of intercontinental travel.
After all, the vast majority of flights from the U.S. to Europe take off late in the day, fly through the night and land the next morning across the Atlantic.
You’re also likely to spend the night on a plane if you’re headed deep into South America — and certainly if you're flying to the Middle East, Asia or Australia.
The question is: When you land after a night of very little sleep, how do you make the first day at your destination as un-miserable as possible? Here are a few of my most successful strategies.
Book a day-use hotel
Did you know you can book a hotel room for the day?
This might have been the best 90 euros I’ve spent recently.
Day-use hotel reservations allow you to check into a hotel right after you land from a red-eye flight and have a guaranteed hotel room for the day.
I did this for my wife and me earlier this summer when we kicked off our big summer trip with an overnight (economy) flight to Dublin on Aer Lingus.
Knowing we’d be running on fumes, I went through Hilton’s WorkSpaces by Hilton platform and booked us a day-use room at the Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Centre.
Check-in time? 9 a.m.
Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Centre. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
This was clutch: It allowed us to grab a shower, catch a nap and feel refreshed enough to explore the city by early afternoon.
Best of all, we didn't have to sit around in the hotel lobby waiting for our room to be ready.
Temple Bar in Dublin. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Bonus points (literally) — I earned both Hilton Honors points and an elite night credit for the brief stay.
Helpful hint: Guests may instead pay an hourly rate for some day-use reservations, such as the one that TPG's Summer Hull booked after a recent red-eye.
Take advantage of status, credit card perks to get into your room early
Sometimes, booking a day-use room isn’t worth it if you’re confident you can get into your hotel room early.
The W Edinburgh, which I booked through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Plus, some hotel loyalty programs offer early check-in (or customizable check-in and checkout times) as an elite status benefit.
Just ask nicely
Beyond that, just ask nicely! Sometimes the front desk can accommodate an early (perhaps even very early) check-in at no additional cost if rooms are available.
Some pleasantries at the front desk allowed me into my Singapore hotel at 8 a.m. earlier this year after a 17-hour flight.
Make use of the airport lounge shower suites
Maybe it’s just me, but having access to a shower after a red-eye can often be a more important reset than a nap.
If you’re connecting onto another flight after a red-eye and have lounge access, take advantage of the shower suites available at many global airports.
When I have a connecting itinerary, this is a big way I feel refreshed and ready for another leg of the trip — as opposed to walking around all day in the clothes I slept in on the plane.
British Airways Club at Miami International Airport (MIA). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Some airlines and airports also have arrivals lounges for eligible members, such as American Airlines' facility at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR). This is a good option if you've already reached your final destination and cleared customs.
JT GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Avoid the red-eye altogether and book a daylight flight
Most eastbound flights from the U.S. to Europe are red-eyes. But not all.
There is a (very small) handful of daylight flights that take off from the U.S. in the morning and land that night on the other side of the Atlantic.
I booked one of these unorthodox itineraries from New York City to London last year and was a huge fan: No sleepless night on the plane. No breakfast served when your body clock says it’s 1 a.m. No wandering around the next day like a zombie.
The only real downside of this itinerary is that it’s not the most efficient, financially, when it comes to paying for hotels: It’ll be nighttime when you land, so you’ll want to head straight to the hotel to get to bed.
But taking a daylight flight helped me beat jet lag altogether, and earned a permanent spot in the bag of travel tricks.
Which airlines offer daylight flights from the US to Europe?
Daytime flights from the U.S. to mainland Europe include:
American, British Airways, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to LHR
British Airways: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to LHR
United Airlines: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to LHR
Watch for an upgrade offer
Of course, there’s another way to reduce your red-eye exhaustion: score a lie-flat seat.
Easier said than done, of course, since many business-class tickets can be outside the budget (or the points budget).
But getting into business class doesn’t necessarily have to cost you thousands of dollars or your whole stash of miles.
Airlines have gotten much more aggressive about offering paid (or mileage) upgrades. And while the prices you see can often be eye-popping, every once in awhile you also might get lucky and find a deal.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
