Long layover tips: what to do with hours between flights

November 8, 2026 · 4 min read

A long layover can be a dull wait or a free stopover in a new place. The difference is a decision you make early: do you stay inside the airport, or go out? Neither is wrong, and the answer depends on how much time you have, what your documents allow and how much energy you have left.

First, how long is long?

Count the real time, not the gap on the ticket. From the moment your plane lands, subtract:

Getting off the plane, and walking to the terminal
Passport control and any security screening, which can take a long time
Collecting and re-checking bags, if your tickets are separate
Getting back to the airport, and through check-in and security, with a safe margin
A buffer for traffic, delays and getting lost

What is left is your free time. As a rough guide, a few hours is only enough for the airport itself. A half day starts to make a trip into town possible, if the city is close and the connections are straightforward. A full day or more is a stopover, and worth planning as part of the trip.

Check the documents and the rules

Before deciding to leave the airport, find out whether you are allowed to.

Do you need a visa or entry permit to leave the airport in that country? Some travellers can pass through without one, while others need one even to leave the transit area. Check the official government site of the country you are passing through, and your own government's travel advice.
Is your luggage checked through to your final destination? If it is, you leave with only your hand luggage. If you have separate tickets, you collect and recheck the bags.
Does the airline protect the connection? On a single booking, if the first flight is late, the airline usually has to re-book you. On separate tickets, a missed connection can be your problem. Flight delayed or cancelled covers what to do.

If you are in doubt, stay at the airport. A missed flight costs more than an extra coffee.

Staying in the airport

Many airports are better places to wait than you expect. Look up your terminal's map before you arrive, and use the time.

Find somewhere comfortable. Quiet corners, lounges you can pay to enter, or rest areas with reclining seats. Some airports have sleep pods or hotels you can rent by the hour, and showers, which are useful after a long flight.
Eat properly. A real meal and a lot of water beat snacks and sugary drinks.
Charge your devices. Find a socket and top up everything.
Stretch your legs. Walk the terminal, go outside the building if there is a garden or terrace.
Do something useful. Update your plans, download maps for your destination, answer messages, or read.

If your layover is overnight and you are staying in the airport, find a place that is quiet and safe, keep your valuables on you, and set an alarm for your next flight. Some airports close part of the building at night, so check beforehand.

Leaving the airport

A trip into the city can turn a layover into a pleasant surprise, as long as you plan it with a safe margin.

Decide how far to go. A city centre that is forty minutes from the airport gives you little time on a six-hour layover. Pick one thing, not five.
Know how to get there and back. Check the train, bus or taxi, how long each takes, and when the last one runs. Airport to city has the basics.
Store your bags. Many airports and stations have left-luggage. Having both hands free makes a short visit much easier.
Set a return time at least a couple of hours before your flight, longer if you have to check in again or go through security. Set an alarm, and head back when it rings.
Take a card, some cash, your passport and your phone. Leave everything else in storage.

Good picks for a short visit are a place close to the transport stop: a market, a square, a viewpoint, a meal. Public transport in a new city will help you get around quickly. If the layover is in a city covered by one of our guides, such as Japan, check its getting-around section.

Some tips for the airport itself

Get a boarding pass for the next flight before you leave, if you can, and note the gate or terminal.
Check the connection time against the transfer route. Some airports need a train or bus between terminals.
Watch for time zone changes when you set your alarm.
Keep your medication, charger and documents with you.
Let someone know your plan if you leave the airport, especially if you are alone.

Make it part of the trip

If you choose a long stopover on purpose, treat it as a day of the trip and write it down, with the times you land, leave, return and fly out. That is also useful for the people picking you up at the other end.

Next step

Look at your itinerary and work out your real free time. If it is less than a few hours, plan to stay in the terminal and make it comfortable. If it is longer, check the entry rules first, and then choose one thing to do.