Can a layover be more than a day?

Layovers come in all shapes and sizes (and lengths!). One type of long layover is a layover imposed by the airline, meaning you've bought one ticket and a layover is part of the itinerary. In these cases, the layover might only be a few hours or it could be a full day or more.



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It is important to note that a layover does not exceed a duration of 24 hours. Anything longer than 24 hours is considered a stopover. A stopover is when a traveller intentionally pauses their journey in a connecting city or country for more than 24 hours before continuing to their final destination.

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Book an Airline that Offers Free Stopovers There are some airlines that encourage people to book a multi-day layover (stopover) in certain cities. This means you can book a few days (or longer) to explore a different city on the way to or from your destination, without any change in the flight prices.

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Mayers recommends two hours as a standard buffer between flights to be safe. This gives you a cushion in case things go wrong during your journey. You'll definitely want at least a two-hour window if you've booked a “hacker fare,” as opposed to flying with the same airline your entire trip.

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A layover is a connection that lasts no longer than 4 hours for domestic flights and no longer than 24 hours for International flights. Layovers are fairly common, especially overnight layovers, but usually they aren't long enough to benefit you.

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For domestic flights in the U.S. minimum connection times range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and for international connections, from 1 to 3 hours.

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During domestic layovers, you are free to leave the airport. If your domestic layover is longer than one hour, you should expect to receive two boarding permits. If you want to check out local points of interest, make sure you get your second boarding pass and print it out before you leave.

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What to do during a long layover
  1. Escape the airport on your own to explore the city.
  2. Take an organized tour of the city.
  3. Book yourself into a transfer hotel.
  4. Try out the local cuisine.
  5. Indulge in the comfort food you've been avoiding.
  6. Take a shower.
  7. Phone a friend.
  8. Find a meditation room.


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If your layover exceeds a certain length (typically between 8 to 12 hours), Go Ahead will book and cover the cost of a hotel room for you to relax or sleep in for the full duration of your connection while you wait for your next flight. We refer to these as dayrooms and overnight layovers.

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While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A layover is the time you spend at the airport between two flights. A connecting flight is the next flight in your itinerary that you're waiting at the airport to take.

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Is skiplagging illegal? No, but it's against most airlines' contracts of carriage or the rules people must follow to fly with the airline. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both put skiplagging first on their lists of prohibited booking practices.

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If you're short on time, here's a quick answer: Yes, some airlines do provide hotel accommodations for long layovers or when unforeseen delays or cancellations happen. However, it's not a universal practice and policies vary significantly between airlines.

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If you're dreading your layover, consider these ways to make your layover fun.
  • GET MOVING. After sitting on a flight, it can feel good to get up, stretch and walk around. ...
  • SEE WHAT THE AIRPORT HAS TO OFFER. ...
  • WATCH A MOVIE OR SHOW. ...
  • GET A SPA TREATMENT. ...
  • PLAN THE REST OF YOUR TRIP. ...
  • PHONE A FRIEND. ...
  • EXPLORE THE CITY. ...
  • READ.


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How long does a layover need to be to leave the airport? Because layovers are your choice, you can leave whenever you like, but seasoned travelers, including McGee, seldom leave airports for less than six hours. After all, airports themselves aren't usually in bustling, interesting areas.

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Mostly, yes! And in most cases, you can leave the airport during a layover in the US, even while traveling to an international destination. International travelers need to make sure they have a valid visa to travel in the US. But, whether you need to leave the airport or not during a layover is completely up to you.

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Assuming you are eligible for a visa, you can leave the airport during a layover and do some sightseeing! Both Gatwick and Heathrow have excellent train connections, and they're much faster than relying on Uber or a taxi.

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For domestic-to-domestic layovers, you normally won't have to go through security again during your layover. However, for all international layovers, you will normally have to go through security again, but this will depend on individual airport policy.

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When layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.

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Overall, passengers usually have to re-clear security for connecting flights, though there may be some exceptions depending on the airport and flight itinerary. To make this process easier, checking with the airline or airport ahead of time is recommended.

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Yes, I've done it before, usually in Amsterdam. I've intentionally taken flights with 6–8 hour layovers so I can pop into the city, take a stroll about and sightsee, and then head back to the airport. Even better are the flights that get arrive in the late afternoon and then depart early the next morning.

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