What is an extended layover called?

A long layover is called a stopover. A stopover allows you time to leave the airport for a hotel or a stroll in the city you are in. A layover flight is a great option for those seeking adventure and with a flexible schedule.



In the aviation industry of 2026, an extended layover is formally known as a stopover. While the terms are often used interchangeably by casual travelers, the technical distinction is based on duration. A layover typically refers to a connection lasting less than 24 hours for international flights (or less than 4 hours for domestic U.S. flights). Once the duration exceeds the 24-hour mark, it officially becomes a stopover. Many airlines, such as Icelandair, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, offer specialized "Stopover Programs" that encourage travelers to spend a few days in their hub city—often at no additional airfare cost—before continuing to their final destination. These programs are a popular strategy in 2026 for "tacking on" an extra mini-vacation. For frequent flyer award bookings, stopovers are highly coveted because they allow passengers to visit two major cities for the price of one ticket, provided the airline's routing rules permit the extended stay.

An extended layover is most commonly referred to as a stopover. While a standard layover typically lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours (depending on whether the flight is domestic or international), a stopover involves staying in a connecting city for more than 24 hours. In 2026, many major airlines like Emirates, Icelandair, and TAP Air Portugal have popularized "Stopover Programs," which allow travelers to spend several days in a hub city like Dubai, Reykjavík, or Lisbon at no additional airfare cost. This effectively turns a single trip into a multi-destination vacation. For frequent flyers, a stopover is a strategic "travel hack" used to combat jet lag or explore a new culture without paying for two separate tickets. From a technical ticketing perspective, a stopover is defined by the length of time between the arrival of one flight segment and the departure of the next, and it often requires the passenger to collect their checked luggage rather than having it transferred automatically to the final destination.

People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

The main difference between a stopover and layover is length of time. 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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

A layover flight is also called a connecting flight. If you book a layover flight, it means the plane will make a stop en route, with passengers disembarking the flight and changing services.

MORE DETAILS

What is a good connection time? 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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

At a minimum, I'd say you should plan for one hour for domestic layovers and two hours for international layovers. But this is not a hard, fast rule! If you have to go through security again on a domestic layover, you might need more time.

MORE DETAILS

Overnight layovers are an ideal time to leave the airport. No layover flight rules say you have to curl up on a chair by your departure gate to catch some sleep. Plan to secure lodging and schedule transportation to get you to the airport on time in the morning.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Two hours. 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.

MORE DETAILS

Some airlines provide hotels for layovers longer than 8 hours, while others only provide accommodation for layovers longer than 12 hours. Some airlines only provide accommodation for layovers caused by airline delay or mechanical issues, while others provide accommodation for any layover longer than a certain duration.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Skiplagging, also known as hidden city ticketing, is when an air traveler buys a ticket for a flight with a layover before the final destination and departs at the layover airport. A travel website called Skiplagged.com allows people to find and book tickets for flights with hidden city ticketing.

MORE DETAILS

Flight attendants love a layover to catch up on much-needed rest, go shopping, eat out, or go sightseeing. Someone on the trip almost always has been to the destination before, so there will be a discussion about the hotel, how near it is to the airport, and if the food is good.

MORE DETAILS