A red-eye departs late at night and lands early morning. It's often cheaper, saves a hotel night and a vacation day, and is less delay-prone. Worth it if you can sleep on planes and have somewhere to go on arrival; miserable if you can't.
Red-eyes are common on US transcontinental routes, Hawaii, and short-haul overnight flights in Asia and Latin America. Long-haul overnight flights (US–Europe) are effectively red-eyes too.
Pros: lower fares, less airport congestion, on-time performance, no lost daytime.
Cons: poor sleep for many people, arriving before hotel check-in, and grogginess on day one.
Make it work: window seat, eye mask and earplugs, eat before boarding, no alcohol, and book a hotel with early check-in or an airport lounge shower on arrival.
Related questions
How do I sleep on a plane in economy?
Pick a window seat away from galleys and lavatories, board rested not exhausted, use a neck pillow that supports the chin, an eye mask and earplugs, skip alcohol and heavy meals, and sleep on the destination's schedule. Full answer →
When is the best time to book a flight?
There is no magic day. For most routes, book 1–3 months ahead for domestic and 2–6 months for international, earlier for peak dates. Track prices with alerts and buy when the fare hits a target you set in advance. Full answer →
Airline, airport and government rules change without notice. Treat this as a starting point and confirm with the airline or authority for your specific trip. Request a correction if something is out of date.