One of the most frequent questions I read on platforms like Quora is: “Can I leave the airport during a layover?”
If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you’ll know that my personal answer to this question would be a definite “YES”.
Layovers are the reason why I got to explore such wonderful places like Ho Chi Minh City or Istanbul. One of the craziest things I ever did was leave the airport and visit the stunning Sheikh Zayed Mosque during a three-hour layover in Abu Dhabi while another time I discovered a perfectly tranquil beach right next to busy Incheon International Airport.
However, if you read my posts more thoroughly, you’ll realize that my decision to leave the airport is always influenced by multiple factors and the duration of the layover is not the only one to consider. For example, I did leave Nikola Tesla Airport during a 24-hour layover to explore Belgrade but would I do the same during a four-hour layover at London Heathrow? Probably not.
Therefore, I’d like to rephrase this question from “Can you leave the airport during a layover?” to “Should you leave the airport during a layover?”.
In this post, I’ll explain in-depth all the factors that you should consider when deciding whether you should leave the airport during a layover.
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Visa/Entry Regulations
While this is nothing to worry about when connecting domestic flights in the country you’re already in, it should be your first thought when transiting through a third country. Some countries allow certain nationalities to enter without a visa, making transit holidays very easy, others might require a transit visa. You must make sure that you’re able to enter the transit country without bureaucratic trouble. Therefore, you should first check and evaluate under which categories your transit country falls:
- Visa-free entry: You can visit the country without any prior arrangements, merely get your passport stamped and go. This is very convenient if you intend to visit a country only for a short time because it requires no fees or effort.
- Visa on arrival/eVisa: Visas on arrival let you fill out paperwork at the airport while with eVisas you must apply a few days in advance through an online portal. Both options usually require a fee depending on the country and they might not be available to all nationalities. While the application process is a lot simpler than with a traditional paper visa, it still requires some advance planning. So if your passport allows you to leave the airport with an eVisa or visa on arrival, I recommend evaluating first if it’s really worth paying a fee and filling out additional paperwork just to enter the country during a layover.
- Traditional sticker visa: Unfortunately, many countries still require a traditional sticker visa to enter even if just for a short layover and some nationalities are more affected by this than others. To obtain a sticker visa, you generally have to travel all the way to the country’s nearest embassy or consulate weeks or even months in advance and submit your passport together with supporting documents, in addition to paying a fee. While this bureaucratic hassle is definitely worth it for many eye-opening longer trips, it probably isn’t for a short layover.
Time
This one appears like a no-brainer at first. The probability of missing your connecting flight is much, much higher if you leave the airport and explore the city during a three-hour layover than it is during a 24-hour layover. However, what fewer travelers consider is that there are many more factors that determine how much time you have to explore than just the layover duration. Here are a few things you should keep in mind as well:
- Airport: Generally, passing through small airports is a lot faster than large ones. The lines for security as well as the distances between terminals get longer the bigger the airport is, taking away precious time to explore the city. However, even among the big airports, there are the good ones and the bad ones. While I’ve always found Abu Dhabi airport to be very efficient, I almost missed my connecting flight after a four-hour layover at London Heathrow because of the long lines. Therefore, it’s best to do your research beforehand and see what other travelers say about the airport you’re transiting through.
- Time of the day/week/year: Certain times are busier than others for air travel. Expect more crowds during working hours at most airports as well as during the main travel seasons. However, the busiest times also depend on the location, so I advise you to observe the situation when you land. Keep track of how long the lines are for security and immigration and how long it takes for you to leave the airport. Based on that, plan enough time to get to your gate on your way back.
- Distance to your desired location: The main reason while I decided to stick to a nearby beach during my five-hour layover at Incheon Airport rather than head to Seoul was the distance from the airport. Like many other airports, “Seoul” Incheon Airport is actually quite far from the major city it serves and the fastest way to get there takes at least an hour. That means if you intend to visit Seoul on a layover, you must plan at least two hours to get to the city and back. Therefore, it’s important to think about where exactly you want to go during a layover. If you don’t think you’ll have enough time to go there and back, it’s better to find a nearby alternative destination – or don’t leave the airport at all.
Luggage
Imagine leaving the airport to explore the city of your dreams during a layover but having to carry around 20 kilos worth of luggage. That’s definitely not enjoyable. Even 10 kilos of luggage is too much and would probably cause you back pain at the end of the day. It’s also no fun to ask people around you for help every time you enter a bus and to run to your gate with three bags on your shoulders if you happen to run late. Therefore, it’s important to keep your luggage in mind when deciding to leave the airport during a layover. Make sure to go over these points:
- Collect bags or check-through: Most of the time when both of your flights are with the same airline or a partner airline, your check-in bags will be checked through to your final destination. However, under certain conditions, such as flying with different airlines, having a very long layover, or transiting through certain airports, you’ll be required to collect and re-check your bags at your layover destination. If the latter is the case and you plan on leaving the airport, make sure to find a luggage storage area at the airport where in exchange for a fee you can store your bags. If your layover is very long, it might even be worth booking a hotel to relax and keep your belongings. However, if your layover isn’t that long and there’s no storage area, you might be better off just staying at the airport.
- Carry-on baggage: The same is true for carry-on bags. Try to keep your carry-on baggage light when planning a layover vacation or find a place to store your things until you come back.
Cost
One of the main reasons why I love flights with long layovers is because you practically get to visit additional places for free! But, is it actually “free”?
You may not have to pay anything extra for the plane ticket but that doesn’t mean that the usual expenses of visiting a city don’t apply. Consider these things when planning to exit the airport:
- Transportation: You’ll probably have to spend money to get from the airport to your point of interest. While public transportation can be pretty cheap in many places, it isn’t in others. And especially when your time is limited, you’re more likely to resort to pricey taxis than to buses that make a hundred stops on the way. Make sure to keep this additional cost in mind when deciding whether you should leave the airport during a layover.
- Food/souvenirs: Likely when you go to a new city, you’ll want to sample the local cuisine and perhaps buy a little souvenir or two. Beware that such costs can add up! However, the good news is, it might be cheaper to do so outside than inside the airport.
- Accommodation: If your layover is very long, you’ll probably want to find a place for the night. However, it’s no secret that accommodation can be quite expensive in many places. Therefore, if you want to save money and don’t feel comfortable taking a nap inside the airport, it might be better to just book a flight with a shorter layover.
How To Plan The Perfect Layover Vacation
If you’ve gone over the above points and come to the conclusion that you can easily leave the airport during your layover, congrats! But you might be wondering how you can plan the perfect layover vacation without missing your flight in the end.
Don’t worry, I got you! Simply follow these seven steps:
- Research the place(s) you want to visit, how to get there, and the approximate duration you’ll need to visit before you fly. Make a thorough plan so you can jump right into it as soon as you land.
- Pass immigration and apply for a visa on arrival (if necessary) without much hesitation. Get your documents ready ahead of time and join the line asap so you don’t waste any precious time.
- Remember the time it took you to leave the airport. Plan in the same amount of time + 30 mins extra to return to your gate later.
- Withdraw/exchange local currency and buy a SIM card or rent a WiFi router if necessary. It’ll definitely come in handy.
- Store excessive luggage in a storage area if you won’t be staying at a hotel.
- Budget your time well. Add up the time it took you to leave the airport and how long it will take you to get back inside, the time it took you to get to your destination and how long it’ll take you to go back, and an additional hour as a “safety buffer” in case something doesn’t work out so well. Subtract this sum from your total layover duration and you’ll get the maximum amount of time you can safely spend at your point of interest.
- Enjoy!
Conclusion
I hope this post was helpful. It’s important to consider the other factors besides just layover duration to determine whether you can leave the airport during a layover or not. Keeping all these points in mind makes it much easier and comfortable to spend a fun layover outside of the airport without missing your flight! That being said, let me know about your past or upcoming layover vacation plans in the comments and make sure to SHARE this post if it helped you make a decision!
Read more:
Noryangjin Fish Market On A Layover: 5 Things To Know Before You Go
The Most Relaxing Layover Ever: Masian Beach – Incheon Layover Guide
How To Visit Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque During A 3-Hour Layover
I am always way to nervous to leave the airport during layovers! In saying that the longest one I have had is 8 hours so I don’t know if that’s enough time based on some of the factors you listed such as transportation and cost etc.
Reading this though has inspired me to plan a longer layover and get to explore somewhere that I otherwise wouldn’t!
That’s great! I’ve been able to visit some great places in eight hours but even an adventurous soul like I got quite the goosebumps out of nervousness. If possible, I always recommend booking the longest layover available. It’s so much more relaxing 🙂
I love a good layover where you can go out and explore. Not every airport has this rule that you can leave. Some says you should have x amount of time.
Yeah it really depends on the airport. I wonder if I’d ever dare to leave London Heathrow during a layover lol.
I hadn’t considered this question. I do love the concept of the “layover vacation” though. Thanks!
It’s become one of my favorite ways to travel. Definitely give it a try next time!
I did this for the first time last year. On the way to Vietnam I had 10 hours between flights in Beijing. I got into the city, walked around and had some food. I’d love to do more long layovers to get a taste of new places
I also got to visit Beijing on my way from Vietnam to Los Angeles! Was it with Air China? I departed from Kuala Lumpur and spent 17 hours in Ho Chi Minh City and afterward 8 hours in Beijing. It was amazing!
Love this! The three 3 layover in Abu Dhabi is something I would have never dared to do! I am such a chicken when it comes to potentially missing my flight, I would just be stressing all the time!
I think it is a great idea to make the most of your trip and plan a layover visit. We did that in Seoul because layovers can be lo long there. I definitely encourage everybody to include layover time.
I’ve always wondered this! I don’t know if I could do it though- I’m a “get to the airport super early” kind of person because being late or rushed makes me anxious. I think leaving and having to get back would be stressful for me!
You know, I often wondered about this so thanks so much for this informative article! It’s really good to know what factors to take into account. Not always being able to speak the language, I often feel a bit insecure about what to do during a long layover, but with your tips I’d feel better about planning something beforehand. So, thanks again! 🙂
If I can I always avoid layovers. I much prefer to fly direct. But when I can’t I do consider whether a quick pop into the city to see it can be squeezed in. The factors you outlined are bang on.
I do the same thing. If there is enough time, then I venture out. Often, however, there are only 3-5h and while 5h are typically enough to do some sightseeing, I would never do that on a 3h layover.
WOW, this is something we rarely consider. Too often we either have close connections or worry about something sidetracking us making us miss our flight. We might have to love on the edge next time we travel and go for it.
If and when i need to have a layover, I try my best to make it longer than 7 hours and during the day. This is the minimum IMO to leave the airport and enjoy few hours in the city you are in.
I am little lazy when it comes to layover vacation. Will give it a try next time.Interesting post.
This is very helpful, thanks for sharing! I always get nervous about the leaving the airport, and getting to the airport on time for that matter. I always worry that something will go wrong and I’ll miss my flight. But I have felt like I am missing out when I don’t take the chance. I will have to do some planning and try this next time I get the chance.
Very in depth and informative post thank you! I have never left the airport yet during a layover as it seemed too much of a hassle but now might actually consider it!
I always leave the airport if I have mor than a 3 hour stop over.
Fantastic post! I need to be better at this – i have had layovers for several hours and stayed in the airport – you just showed me I should have been out and about, especially if they are close to a fun place to explore.
Now i just need to convince my husband that we won’t miss our next flight!! 😉
Really love this! You really provided a lot of information and good points! I’ve never explored on a layover between flights, maybe i will someday though!