This Is Why Planes Dim The Lights During Take-Off And Landing

If you tried to analyse every small thing that was asked of you when you took your seat on a plane – fold your tray table, put your seat upright, pull up your window shade – you could probably spend even the longest flight in the world trying to figure it all out. Luckily, Culture Trip is finding out the answers so you don’t have to.

Ever wonder why when you’re flying at night, the cabin lights are always dimmed for take-off and landing? Well, it’s not to distract you from your reading. The cause for the enforced darkness is actually a “safety precaution,” Julian Kheel, senior editor at popular travel advice website The Points Guy (TPG), tells Culture Trip.

“By turning off the lights in the cabin when taking off or landing at night, your eyes adjust to the darkness,” he explains. “So in an emergency you are more likely to be able to get off the plane more quickly.” Far from trying to cause an inconvenience, the safety measure is in place to save lives.

Originally from South Florida and now a resident of New York City, Julian flies at least 100,000 miles a year for work and has a lot of travel secrets up his sleeve.

Staying with the light v darkness theme, the 44-year-old frequent flyer also gives us the reason why the window shades tend to be kept drawn when planes are sitting on the ground. “This is to prevent the cabin from overheating,” he tells us. “When planes are waiting to take off, they are tied in to the airport’s power, so the air conditioning has to be kept on minimum. By drawing the shades, the cabin stays cooler without having to blast the AC.”

Next time you’re flying, you won’t have to wonder.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.