How to leave the airport during a layover?
Do you have a long layover? This is a great chance to see a new city. Today we will look at this topic in more detail and tell you how to leave the airport during a layover.
First, here’s a small checklist so you don’t waste time:
- Find out if you need a visa to leave the airport and enter the city. Read more about transit visas here.
- Study the airport map and find where the luggage storage facilities are located.
- Find out in advance how to get to the city.
- Create a detailed itinerary.
You’ve arrived at the layover point, what’s next?
In most cases, you don’t need to collect your luggage, and you have a boarding pass for your next flight. To exit the “sterile area,” follow the “Exit” signs. On the way, you will pass through passport control, where your visa (if required) will be checked, and then you will enter the arrivals hall.
If you have heavy hand luggage that you definitely don’t want to take with you on a walk, find a luggage storage and leave your belongings there.
Now it’s time to find a public transport stop to get to the city.
How to find your way from the airport to the city?
We wrote about this in a separate article “How to get from the airport to the city?”
How to know if you need to collect luggage at the layover point?
If you bought a through ticket, then in 99% of cases, your luggage will go directly to your final destination. If you bought 2 separate tickets, then it all depends on the airlines:
- Budget airlines — always collect luggage.
- Budget airline + regular airline — always collect luggage.
- The same airline throughout the journey — no need to collect.
- Different airlines, but part of the same alliance — no need to collect.
- Different airlines, but they have a codeshare agreement — no need to collect.
- Different airlines, in different alliances, and no agreements between them - you need to collect.
See how many nuances and options there are? The only sure way (if it’s not a low-cost flight, with them everything is simple and clear) is to call the airline and clarify directly with them.
Where to find information for planning a city walk itinerary?
There are many websites, forums, and apps for travel planning. Among the most useful are, of course, iknow.travel and Pinterest maps, which we wrote about earlier. Be prepared in advance that you won’t be able to see everything. If it’s your first time in the city, it’s better to take a short city tour to see all the main attractions. The ideal option is a bus tour, which is available in every major city. You can buy tickets or find an individual guide online in advance.
How to calculate time and not miss your flight?
If the plane arrives without delays, finding the exit, luggage storage, and completing all procedures (customs and passport control) will take about 30 minutes to an hour. On the way back, you should also arrive at the airport 1.5–2 hours before your flight departure. We already have 3 hours. Add to this the journey from the airport to the city and back. Most often, this is 40 minutes to an hour each way. That makes a total of 5 hours. Amsterdam is a pleasant exception. You can get from the airport to the very city center in just 20 minutes by train, which runs very frequently. Amsterdam is an ideal city for a connecting flight; there’s always something to see both day and night. Allocate at least 3 hours for the walk around the city itself. Thus, on average, to get to the city without rush or stress, see something there, and return to the airport, the layover should be at least 7–8 hours. If you are an experienced traveler or have already been to this city, you will need less time, but if you are doing this for the first time, it’s better to play it safe.
What to do and where to go when you return to the airport?
If you bought a single ticket, you already have a boarding pass for your next flight. Therefore, you don’t need to go to the check-in counter. Go directly to security screening and then to the gate from which your flight departs. Note that you will go through security control again, which means that liquids over 100 ml will be confiscated. Therefore, make your duty-free purchases at the layover airport after passing through security.
