How do stopover flights work?

A stopover is a flight with a stopover that lasts at least 24 hours. The stopover does not follow the goal that the flight must be changed and transferred. Instead, the flight number remains the same, so one's ticket remains valid for the entire trip. The time of the onward journey is tied to a fixed date.



A stopover is essentially an extended connection where you stay in a hub city for more than 24 hours (for international flights) or more than 4 hours (for domestic flights) before continuing to your final destination. Unlike a "layover," which is just a brief pause to change planes, a stopover allows you to leave the airport, stay in a hotel, and explore a "bonus" city for one or more days. Many flagship airlines, such as Icelandair (Reykjavik), Emirates (Dubai), and TAP Air Portugal (Lisbon), offer "Free Stopover" programs where you can add this multi-day break to your itinerary without any additional airfare cost. To book one, you typically use the "Multi-City" search tool on an airline's website. This is a highly effective travel "hack" because it allows you to see two countries for the price of one ticket. However, you are still responsible for your own hotel and food costs during the stopover, and you must ensure you meet the visa requirements for the stopover country.

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Do you stay on the plane for a layover? In most cases, you'll have to switch to another plane, but sometimes (rarely) if the plane you are on is continuing to your next destination, you'll stay in your seat.

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If you have a layover and both flights are part of the same itinerary and booked on a single ticket, you typically do not need to check in again. Your checked baggage is usually tagged through to your final destination, and you would proceed directly to your connecting gate after going through security.

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Stopovers can range from as short as 24 hours to as long as 10 days, with no added cost to your airline ticket, depending on the program. To get the most out of a stopover, look for a program that offers other complimentary perks, too.

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Stopover rules vary by airline, but are essentially longer layovers — at least 24 hours in length. Layovers, meanwhile, are connections less than a day in length depending on if you're flying domestically or internationally. Open-jaw flights are a whole different beast.

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While skiplagging isn't illegal, American Airlines filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month against Skiplagged.com, accusing the company of unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices and tricking customers into believing they've gained access to a secret loophole.

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Layover flights are usually cheaper than both direct and non-stop flights. Though you might spend a lot of time landing, disembarking and with layovers, you get to rest and stretch in between your journey. A long layover is called a stopover.

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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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You might only receive your first boarding pass when you check-in for the first time. If so, then you will have to find the correct ticket counter at the layover airport and get your second boarding pass for the new flight.

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If your itinerary was purchased as one ticket (as in: you have only one itinerary and one confirmation number), and the connection time was too short and you miss the second (or third) flight, you can rest easy, no matter what happens. The airline will simply put you onto the next available flight, free of charge.

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Two to three hours is the minimum recommended time for an international layover, but more might be needed. Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020.

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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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Airline stopovers offer the chance to see an additional city, and come with free hotel stays, sightseeing discounts, and other perks. There's no doubt that international airfares have gotten more expensive.

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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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?Can I leave the airport during layover in Istanbul? ?Yes, you are allowed to leave Istanbul airport during layover in Istanbul as long as you have a valid visa obtained.

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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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Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

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What are the disadvantages of a long layover?
  • 3.1 Fatigue and Boredom. A long layover can be tiring and boring, especially if you don't have access to comfortable seating, food, or entertainment.
  • 3.2 Hassle and Stress. ...
  • 3.3 Extra Costs. ...
  • 3.4 Visa Requirements.


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In commercial aviation, a red-eye flight refers to a flight that departs at night and arrives the next morning, especially when the total flight time is insufficient for passengers to get a full night's sleep. Nighttime at Venice Marco Polo Airport. The term derives from red eyes as a symptom of fatigue.

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Essentially, a free stopover is an extended layover that allows you to leave the airport and explore the city, usually where an airline heads its operations. Stopovers can range from as short as 24 hours to as long as 10 days, with no added cost to your airline ticket, depending on the program.

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It's not illegal but it does come with two problems: Most airlines will cancel your return ticket if you miss a portion of your itinerary. So if you intentionally skip your connection, you may find yourself without a flight home. Airlines can, and do, blacklist customers from booking tickets with them.

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But skiplagging is controversial, and many airlines frown upon it — so much that it can be punishable by miles or status cancellations and even a lifetime ban from the airline.

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In some cases, it may even ban you from flying with the airline temporarily — as in the incident with the teen earlier this summer. Even worse, you could be banned permanently.

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