Whats the difference between nonstop and direct flights?

Nonstop and direct flights are not the same thing, although many people think they are. What’s the difference? Well, a nonstop flight is exactly what it’s name suggests – it is a flight that goes straight to the destination without any stops in between. So, if you are flying nonstop from San Francisco to New York, you would go directly to New York, without your plane ever touching the ground in between.

Direct Flights Make Stops

A direct flight, on other hand, would make a stop in between, but you would never actually have to get off the plane. So, if you were flying from San Francisco to New York, then your flight may stop in Dallas – but you would never get off the plane. What would usually happen is that some passengers would get off the plane in Dallas, while new passengers would come aboard the plane. This would mean that you would basically just be in the plane waiting – and your total flight time is longer than if you just flied nonstop. So, flying to New York from San Francisco nonstop could take about 5 hours, but if you fly direct it could take as long as 6-7 hours. Note that this is just an example, the flight times can vary depending on the airline, weather, etc.

Which is cheaper, direct or nonstop flights?

Because flying direct means that it would take you longer to reach your destination than if you were flying nonstop, flying direct is always cheaper. So, if you want to save some cash, fly direct. But, if you want to save some time, then fly nonstop.

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