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Aircraft cabin temperatures vary greatly, with the extremes of the range reaching 18°C and 32.2°C (mirror), sometimes even less/more, which makes it difficult to assess appropriately how much clothing to keep on carry-on. How can one get ahead of time an approximation of the aircraft cabin temperature during a flight?

Ideally I'd like a website where one enters the flight number and flight date, and get some approximation. Or some https://flightaware.com-like website that'd log past aircraft cabin temperatures.

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    I always assume it will be freezing, especially if it's likely that I'll be sleeping, and dress accordingly, but in layers with one or two light ones at the bottom. If it's hot, I can then adjust. – phoog Mar 31 '19 at 20:03
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    I'm not sure such a thing is even possible. – Michael Hampton Mar 31 '19 at 20:16
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    @MichaelHampton It's at least possible on some airlines, e.g. Korean Air (mirror): "All of our flights maintain a temperature range of 23C to 25C." It'd be more convenient not to have to check with each airline though. – Franck Dernoncourt Mar 31 '19 at 20:19
  • I just flew LAX-LHR-LAX. Same airline but different plane types. First flight was perfect for me, didn't need a sweater nor the blanket. Return flight was freezing. I was very glad that I'd brought my sweater. – mkennedy Mar 31 '19 at 20:26
  • There's indeed a lot of perceived variation, though I'm not sure all of it is due to actual variations in temperature. Depending on the usual temperatures at your point of origin, how you are dressed, the period of the day and your position in your circadian rhythm, whether you were active or stressed beforehand or not, whether you are tired or not, whether you got a sunburn on holiday or not, and so on, can have a bit effect on your perception of the actual temperature. Then, there is actual change, which varies based on airline, aircraft, seat, crew preference, day or night travel, etc. – jcaron Mar 31 '19 at 21:55
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This would be a terrific app or service, but unfortunately, is extremely difficult in practice. There's too much variation from one crew to another, one plane to another, one airline to another. There are some general tips, such as the observation that Asian airlines generally have hotter cabin temperatures than U.S. and European airlines.

Some airlines have configured some of their aircraft with individual air jets for each seat, or for each seat along the sides but not the center. If you have an individual air jet, you can control your own air temperature by adjusting the jet, since air coming from the jet will be colder than the ambient cabin air.

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Well, without a Tardis or similar device, this proposition is practically impossible.

Cabin temperatures are regulated in flight so the only way to know this beforehand is to get a personal guarantee ahead of time from the Captain. Depending on the airline, this might be possible a month or so in advance.

Boarding and ground temperature can be predicted as far out as reliable weather forecasts.

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  • How is the cabin temperature decided during the flight? – Franck Dernoncourt Apr 1 '19 at 16:43
  • @FranckDernoncourt The airline may have a recommended range but within that, it's either what the Captain feels like or what the previous flight's Captain felt like. – Johns-305 Apr 2 '19 at 12:29

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