Flying times from Germany to USA and then from USA to Germany?

Question

A friend of mine and me have a bet on using just the flight time alone which takes longer; flying from the usa to germany, or flying from germany to the usa. not including the time changes, only actual time elasped in the air which would take longer. We weren't sure because I said the earth's rotation would make the flight to germany longer and he says the jetstream makes the flight to USA longer.

Answer 1

It takes longer to fly from Germany to the United States because of the winds encountered from the jetstream.

A flight from New York to Frankfurt would take maybe 6.5 to 7 hours, while the return would take 8 hours.

Even if the earth's rotation had an effect (which it doesn't), it would actually speed up the process, since the world rotates (when viewed from above) in a clockwise direction.

Earth's rotation doesn't affect the aircraft because everything is rotating. The atmosphere and earth operate as a single body. When you are walking, it doesn't take you longer to walk in one direction than the other because of earth's rotation, does it? It doesn't.

Same goes for airplanes, ships, dirigibles, hang gliders, birds, etc.

Answer 2

Not including flight changes it took my friend 8 hours to get from U.S to Germany two weeks ago.

Flying from Germany to U.S, also took about eight hours.

Answer 3

It should take longer to get to the US from Germany than vice-versa. Due to the jetstream which usually runs West to East. The jetstream sometimes moves in a more north/south direction too. It also moves south and turns more north/south in the winter.