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Reykjavík-Keflavík to Seattle: Flight time? Stupid question but am panicking...

Posted by (Seattle, WA, USA) on

Hi!

So this is incredibly embarrassing, but I feel I am among friends here, so here goes.

We go to Europe once or twice a year, but always fly directly to whatever country we're going to visit. Next week, we're going to London and taking Icelandair via Reykjavík-Keflavík. On the way home, we have a 17-hour layover in Iceland.

We fly out of London at 8:35pm on Saturday December 7th.

We get into Iceland a bit before midnight on Saturday December 7th.

The next day, December 8th, we fly out of Reykjavík at 4:55pm and get into Seattle at 4:40pm.

What I want to know is - is that 4:40pm on the 8th, or on the 9th?

Travelocity tells me we leave Reykjavík the afternoon of December 8th, and do not get back to Seattle until the afternoon of December 9th! That's impossible, right? It's an 8-hour flight, give or take, and Seattle is 8 hours earlier than Iceland, yes?

The thing is, I failed every math class I ever took, and my brain starts to hurt when I try and figure stuff like this out. And I need to tell our ride the correct day to pick us up from SeaTac. When Travelocity told me it was the 9th, I knew I needed to get right on the Rick Steves board and out myself as a math nitwit.

Please advise - thank you all!!!!!!!

Posted by
4637 posts

If the flight from Reykjavik (Keflavik) is nonstop to Seattle then you land in Seattle the same day you left Keflavik. Seattle time is 8 hours behind Iceland. That means whatever time is in Iceland minus 8 and you have time in Seattle. For some reason Iceland is on GMT. So either your flight from Keflavik to Seattle has some long layover somewhere or Travelocity is wrong.

Posted by
1525 posts

Yes, it must be a glitch in the system.

As you fly west, depending on the flight path, you fly almost as fast as the earth rotates, thus time seems to almost stand still - that is, unless you fly over the International Date Line in the Pacific, in which case, the clock time will continue to almost stand still, but the date will instantly change one day forward. Without that, if you could somehow keep flying west for 24 hours you could encircle the globe and expect no time to pass at all, which of course, is impossible.

Posted by
2349 posts

Kira, dear, it sounds like you should avoid traveling to Asia. Crossing the Date Line might cause your head to explode! Sounds like the Travelocity Gnome is not as wise as he appears.

Posted by
12 posts

We just did this 2 days ago. You land essentially 15 minutes before you leave. Seattle is 8 hours behind Iceland, the flight is approx. 8 hours long. We left at 4:55pm on Wednesday, arrived at 4:40pm Wednesday. BTW, if you can, take a walk around Reykjavik, if your hotel is in Reykjavik. If it is near the airport, even better. Make yourself get up and go to the Blue Lagoon, which is a short bus ride to Keflavik. Be sure to pack your bathing suit. You can rent a towel and a robe (robe optional, really). Being outside in a large pool of hot water in mid-winter is fabulous! There are also a steam and sauna, right next to the pool.

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