A cheap ticket often comes with a long layover: eight hours, sometimes twelve, spent in an intermediate city. Passing that time sitting in the terminal is not compulsory; there are three different options and each one demands a different budget. The right choice either justifies the ticket price or wipes out the whole saving. Below I have compared those options.
The first decision on a long layover
The first question is simple: is the baggage with you, or checked through to the final point? The difference between the two changes the whole plan, because going into the city with a suitcase is practically impossible. Ask and confirm this at check-in.
The second question is the visa. To leave the terminal that country’s entry rules apply, that is, if you have no visa you cannot go into the city. Some countries, though, give a special short-term permission for passengers with a long wait, and it is worth checking that in advance.
When going into the city makes sense
| Less than 6 hours | Staying in the terminal is safer |
| 7–10 hours | If the centre is close, a short walk is possible |
| More than 10 hours | A city walk or a hotel is a real option |
| Night hours | A transit hotel instead of going into the city |
Do the arithmetic like this: from the length of the wait subtract three hours for check-in and two hours for getting to the airport and back. The figure that remains is your real time in the city. If less than an hour is left, there is no point in going out. If you do go out, a transfer with a fixed return time is more reliable than looking for a taxi.
Read more: At the airport for the first time: five steps from the entrance to the plane
The lounge and the transit hotel on a long layover
Entry to a lounge is not only for business class passengers; at many airports the ticket can be bought at the desk. The price is usually between thirty and fifty euros and includes food, drinks, a shower and internet. On an eight-hour wait that can come out cheaper than sitting in a restaurant.
A transit hotel, meanwhile, is located inside the terminal and gives a room for an hourly payment. There is no need to pass through passport control, that is, a passenger without a visa can use it too. For sleeping between night flights this is the most comfortable option. When the transit hotel is full, hotels near the airport are the second option. When building the route, look at the length of the stopover together with the price. The list of transit services is given on each airport’s own site, for example on the official page of Istanbul airport.
Sleeping comfortably in the terminal
If you are not taking a hotel, choose the spot in advance. The quietest zones are usually on the upper floors and by the far gates, while the central hall stays lit and noisy all night. Check the hour the gates close too; some terminals shut part of the building at night.
Have a light scarf and an eye mask with you, because the air conditioning runs strongly at night. Sleep with your bag tied to your body, and do not leave the phone next to a charger. Putting the baggage in an hourly left luggage locker is possible too, and that frees your hands for a walk.
In brief
First confirm where the baggage is and what the visa condition is, then subtract five hours from the length of the wait and work out the real time. If it is more than ten hours go into the city, if it is night look at a transit hotel, and in the middle case a lounge often pays. To build the route and the visa process together, fill in the application form.
Note: transit rules and services vary by airport, so check the official site before the flight.
