Do you cross the International Date Line flying from Australia to UK?

Answer 1

Since the earth is a sphere (a ball), you can get from anywhere to anywhere else

by starting out in either of two opposite directions.

From Sydney to Dubai, the choice is entirely up to you, whether or not you feel like

crossing the IDL while en route. All we can tell you is that the flight is certain to be

much shorter and cheaper if you're willing to go without that experience on that

particular trip.

Answer 2

Absolutely. Since the Earth is a sphere-shape (like a ball), you can start anywhere,

follow any one of an infinite number of different routes, and wind up anywhere

you want to. The reason why airlines don't do that is because they want to

save fuel, and passengers usually want to get where they're going as soon as

possible, so the common carriers put a lot of effort into identifying and following

the shortest route.

The shortest route from Runway-34L at Sydney Kingsford Smith Int'l (SYD) to

Runway-7R at Los Angeles Int'l (LAX) measures 7,487.6 miles. On that route,

you cross the 180° Meridian when you're about 80 miles north of Vanua Levu

island in Fiji, when you're 2,220 miles from Sydney. The International Dateline is

skewed to the east in this neighborhood, to avoid slicing Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati,

and several other island groups into two different calendar dates, but you cross

it after you've gone not too much farther, and you must make a mental note to

turn your calendar back a day before you land in LA.

You then cross the equator when you're 3,743 miles from Sydney.

Answer 3

You certainly can if you want to, since the Earth is a sphere. But doing the trip in

that direction would be almost 3 times as far as the short direction, which does

not cross the IDL.

Answer 4

== == Only if you head in an Easterly direction.

Answer 5

It's not absolutely necessary. You could go the other way

around. But it's a much shorter trip if you do.

Answer 6

No, you cross the Prime Meridian which is on the other side of the world from the International Date Line.

Answer 7

You don't have to, but it's shorter if you go that way.

Answer 8

Yes, you cross many. Australia is at least eight hours ahead of the U.K.