Budget travelers often search for the cheapest flights. Direct and non-stop flights are usually more expensive, while cheap flights have long stopovers in certain cities. Sure, you got your flight tickets for less, but who wants to stay on a humdrum 10-hour layover waiting for their trip to commence? Read on for some awesome tips for your next flight with stopovers.
At a Glance
What are Long Layovers?
Layovers are short stays at certain airports on your way to another airport. During long car drives, we usually stop by gas stations to buy stuff, relieve ourselves, stretch, eat, or just breathe, and then resume our trip. For long flights, these stops are called layovers and they are part of the flight itinerary. One would book a flight, completely aware that there is an included stop along the way. Others refer to layovers as transit or 'multiple destination trips'. If the stop lasts more than 24 hours, they are then called stopovers. Depending on the airline, stopovers can span anywhere between 1 to 10 days. They can also be customized to fit your travel needs and schedule.
Pros and Cons of Layovers/Stopovers
Listed in the image below are the advantages and disadvantages of layovers.
Layovers are not for everyone. If you're on a business trip with tight schedule, by all means, book a direct flight instead. But for fellow travelers who have flexible schedule, go on and choose that layover with the longest duration and tick off another country on your bucket list.
What to Do During Short Layovers?
Having to stay at an airport for 4 hours can be quite boring but it will be risky to try to explore outside. Here are ways to spend 4 hours or less in the airport.
Seat, relax, listen to your music genre, and sleep.
Connect to the airport's wifi and scroll through social media like crazy. Airports usually have outlets to keep your gadgets powered up.
If you have a Netflix account, check out the country's selection. From where I am, the Lord of the Rings movie series is not available, but in New Zealand, I get to have a marathon. Who gets tired of LOTR anyway? And who knows? You might see your most sought-after movie.
Journal about your experience. Whether you're writing in a digital journal or a physical one, spend your layover hours updating it. If you're into digital journaling, add your photos, and don't forget to caption them. Journal may seem cheezy but in a few months or years, you'll be able to revisit the memories.
Be entertained by your mobile game of choice.
Research and plan for your next potential travel destinations.
Move around and get walking.
For layovers with more than 4 hours of stay, should you go out and explore? Here are some things to consider.
Does the country of layover require transit visa for your country of citizenship? For countries, requiring visa application, we recommend to just stay put and rest on your seats. Go ahead and explore countries that will issue an eVisa or have your visa stamped on your passport at the immigration counter.
Is the airport location accessible or do you have to travel for 2 hours just to get to the nearest attraction? Research your layover airport in advance and check out what are the nearest activities or attractions that you can try. For instance, Singapore has Jewel in Changi Airport for entertainment, dining, and shopping. All these without leaving the airport vicinity.
How to Make the Most of Your Long Layovers?
Layovers spanning 24 hours or more will provide enough time for exploring. There are a lot of short getaway options on every country. Check out our list of recommendations here.
Moreover, here are some tips on how to make the most of it.
Apply for Visa if needed.
Create your travel itinerary for the layover and allot budget accordingly.
Research ahead on the activities you can do on the country during your layover.
Try to phone a friend (if any) who lives in the area for recommendations and meetups.
Book your hotels, and car rentals, or book tours for a more convenient exploration.
Check all possible perks on hotel bookings and tour packages that you may get from your airline of choice. Some airlines might have these perks for you, while others don't.
Like in any trip, have fun, try things but be mindful and vigilant
Remember, it's a foreign land and no matter how accommodating and kind people are, always be vigilant and be mindful of your belongings.
Try local foods, but eat cautiously and in moderation.
Be respectful always, to locals and foreigners alike.
Be prepared for the unexpected andhave travel insurance.
How to Book Flights with Long Layovers?
Okay, you're sold out on this. But how do we book for long layovers? Here are the steps.
Decide on what country you'd want as layover. Please keep in mind that it should be located in between your point of origin and destination.
Check which airlines have hubs on that specific country. For instance, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways both have their hubs in Japan. So if you're eyeing for a layover in Japan, choose either of these carriers.
Search for their multi-city flights from your city to your desired destination.
Look for the results with the longest layover duration and book it accordingly.
Alternatively, you can also use a flight search engine tool for this.
If you would want to extend your stopover, go ahead and call your airline of choice. There will be airlines that will allow it at no extra costs, some will allow it with extra costs (due to the difference on ticket pricing for the new flight dates selected), while others will not allow it at all. It won't hurt to call and ask.
Summary
Long layovers may just be the cheaper option before but nowadays, they are a lot more. They will surely satisfy the traveler in you since you were able to visit another country with no extra flight cost. Visit our layover ideas page to get more ideas and tips for your next layover flight. Have a safe and fun layover!
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