The short answer
Every time on a flight ticket is the local time at its own airport, and most international tickets use the 24-hour clock, so 14:35 is 2:35pm and 00:10 is ten minutes past midnight. Departure is when the plane leaves the gate, arrival is when it reaches the gate, and a "+1" after the arrival time means you land the next day. The duration shown is the real time from gate to gate, already corrected for time zones.
A flight ticket, line by line
| You see | It means |
|---|---|
| LHR 21:40 → SIN 17:55 +1 | Leaves London Heathrow at 9:40pm London time; reaches Singapore at 5:55pm Singapore time the next day |
| Duration 13h 15m | The real time from gate to gate, corrected for the time difference |
| Boarding 20:50 | Be at the gate by now, local time at the departure airport |
| Gate closes 21:20 | After this you can't board |
| Terminal 2 / T2 | Which terminal you leave from or arrive at |
The example is illustrative, but every airline ticket follows the same pattern.
Reading the 24-hour clock
Most airlines and airports use the 24-hour clock to avoid any confusion between morning and evening. Up to 12:00 the hours are the same as on a 12-hour clock; after midday, take 12 away.
| 24-hour | 12-hour | When |
|---|---|---|
| 00:05 | 12:05am | Five minutes after midnight: the very start of the date shown |
| 06:30 | 6:30am | Morning |
| 12:00 | 12:00pm | Midday |
| 14:35 | 2:35pm | Afternoon |
| 19:15 | 7:15pm | Evening |
| 23:50 | 11:50pm | Just before midnight |
How to tell if a flight is in the morning or at night: 00:00 to 11:59 is the morning (00:00 to about 05:00 being the middle of the night), 12:00 to 17:59 the afternoon, and 18:00 to 23:59 the evening. Watch out for times just after midnight: a flight at 00:05 on Saturday leaves late on Friday night. More on that in what plus 1 means on flight times.
Departure and arrival: what they mean
The departure time is when the plane is due to leave the gate, not take off. The arrival time is when it's due at the gate at the other end, not when it touches down. Both are gate times; see is arrival time when the plane lands?
Whose time is it?
Each time belongs to its own airport. The departure time is local where you take off, the arrival time is local where you land, and nothing is shown in your home time zone. That's why a flight can seem to take 3 hours or 20 on paper: subtracting the two times doesn't give the flight length when the clocks at each end differ. The full explanation is in are flight times local?
The little numbers: +1, +2 and −1
A number after the arrival time tells you to add days: +1 lands the next day, +2 two days later, and −1 the day before, local time at the destination. Book hotels and transfers from that arrival date.
What "flight time" means
On a booking, "flight time" or "duration" is the scheduled time from gate to gate. Pilots and airlines sometimes use "flight time" for the time in the air, from take-off to landing, which is shorter. For planning your day, the gate-to-gate duration on your booking is the one that matters.
Questions people ask
How do I read flight times on an international ticket?
Each time is the local time at its own airport, usually on the 24-hour clock. Departure is when the plane leaves the gate, arrival when it reaches the gate, and a +1 after the arrival time means the next day.
How do I know if my flight is in the morning or at night?
On the 24-hour clock, 00:00 to 11:59 is morning (the small hours being night), 12:00 to 17:59 afternoon and 18:00 to 23:59 evening. 21:40 is 9:40pm.
What does flight time mean on a booking?
The scheduled duration from gate to gate, already corrected for time zones. Time in the air is a little shorter.
Is a 00:30 flight in the morning or at night?
It leaves 30 minutes after midnight, so it's the night at the start of the date shown. A 00:30 flight on Saturday leaves late on Friday night.
Are boarding times local time?
Yes. Boarding time is local time at the departure airport, like the departure time.
