Planning a Trip? Here’s When You Should Consider a Stopover vs Layover
Layovers and stopovers are different flight itineraries that can help you save time and money when traveling. But which one is right for you? They are not the same thing, so it’s helpful to understand the differences so you can make the best decision. Let’s look at the stopover vs layover question and the pros and cons of each to help you decide.
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Stopover vs Layover
What Is a Layover?
A layover refers to the waiting time during a flight connection at the airport for a certain amount of time before your next flight. A layover typically lasts up to a few hours but does not exceed 24 hours.
During this time, the traveler must remain in that airport’s terminal and may be unable to leave the premises.
Example: Los Angeles to London via Toronto. The layover is in Toronto, just the airport where you will change planes for your final flight to London.
Why Have a Layover?
The typical scenario for a layover is to change planes for a connecting flight to get you to your final destination. Many airlines travel to hub airports, making it easier to transport passengers to various airports throughout the country and the world. Layovers can also provide savings as compared to direct flights.
What Happens During a Layover?
Layover can last from less than one hour to just under 24 hours. In the short scenario, you may scramble to make it from your airplane that just landed to your connecting flight. As a result, we recommend paying attention to the layover time when booking your tickets. If you have a layover of less than one hour, you might be in a stressful and rushed situation when your initial flight lands, significantly if it is delayed in takeoff.
During more extended layovers, you can explore the airport, drink at the bar, enjoy food, or shop at the airport stores. It’s also an excellent time to move around and stretch your legs.
Layover Example
Did you know most airlines allow multiple layovers of under 24 hours to reach your destination? This means you can plan your journey strategically and make the most out of layovers that last 23 hours and 59 minutes. These layovers are perfect for exploring cities you can cover in a single day. With this trick, you can visit another city without using up a stopover or paying for two separate tickets.
Let’s take American Airlines as an example. When redeeming American Airlines miles, you are not allowed to have any stopovers, which are stops lasting more than 24 hours. However, you can undoubtedly have layovers of under 24 hours to reach your destination. So, imagine redeeming miles from Toronto to London to Paris. You can have a long layover of less than 24 hours in London at no additional cost. It’s an excellent opportunity to explore the city and maximize your travel experience. It’s important to note that if the connection time in London exceeds 24 hours, this would be considered two separate tickets, as American Airlines does not allow stopovers.
Stopover vs Layover
Pros of Taking a Layover
- You can save money on airfare by choosing multiple flights rather than a direct flight
- It may be possible to explore a new city by booking a layover that’s long enough to leave the airport and take in some sightseeing
- Can break up a long journey into more manageable segments
Cons of Taking a Layover
- More time spent waiting at airports means less time spent enjoying your destination
- A delay in one flight can cause a ripple effect on the rest of your journey, resulting in missed connections or long wait times
- Layovers often require changing airports, which means additional transport costs to get from one airport to the other
Layover Tips
If you are opting for the standard layover, here are additional tips:
Take advantage of amenities – Many airports offer a variety of amenities that you can take advantage of during your layover. Whether it’s shopping, eating, or catching up on work, you can be productive with the time if that’s important to you.
Stay near your gate – A delayed flight can become available sooner than announced. If you leave the gate area for an extended period, you risk missing your flight.
You can still walk over to the airport lounge or bar if you have a multiple-hour wait, but you have a way to learn if your flight time changes during your wait.
And flight delays happen often -during the first part of this year, nearly 24% of flights encountered delays. This usually starts when an inbound aircraft arrives late, which snowballs into flight delays for subsequent flights at the airport. Another significant cause of delays is air carrier issues ranging from maintenance or crew problems to aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, and fueling.
In the United States, airlines are legally required to provide passengers with flight status changes within 30 minutes of being made aware of the status change. Most airlines offer communication options that you can select, including flight alerts by email, smartphone app, or text message. That’s an option you’ll want to choose when booking your flight.
Stopover vs Layover
What Is a Stopover?
A stopover is when you spend more than 24 hours at an airport before continuing your journey. A typical scenario is a stopover during international travel before arriving at your final destination. During a stopover, travelers usually can leave the airport and explore the local area before returning for their next flight. A stopover can even last several days.
Example: Los Angeles to London via Toronto. If you spend more than 24 hours in Toronto, that is considered a stopover. You can visit the Hockey Hall of Fame or another top tourist destination, spend the night in Toronto, and then continue to London the next day.
Why Have a Stopover?
While layovers are commonly scheduled by airlines as a result of the incredible matrix that allows passengers to move from point A to point B, stopovers are typically scheduled by travelers.
Stopovers allow a traveler to get one night or more in a connecting city before moving on to the final destination. This extended stop will enable you to explore a city as part of your journey.
Stopover Parameters Vary by Airline
When it comes to airline travel, it’s important to understand that the airline issuing your ticket determines the rules that apply. For instance, if you’re using American Airlines miles to fly with American Airlines from Los Angeles to Chicago to London, remember that you won’t be able to make a stopover in Chicago.
However, if you’re using Alaska Airlines miles (which happens to be an American Airlines partner) for the same flights on American Airlines, you can enjoy a stopover in Chicago for as long as you’d like. That’s because Alaska Airlines sets the rules, and they allow stopovers even on one-way tickets. It’s just one of those handy features to keep in mind when planning your travels.
Stopover vs Layover
Pros of Taking a Stopover
- You can save money on airfare by booking multiple flights instead of a direct one
- More time at each destination, allowing you to get a taste of what the city has to offer
- Stopovers are often cheaper than booking two separate trips
Cons of Taking a Stopover
- The cost of extra accommodation or tours can add up quickly and reduce any savings made on airfare
- Delays in one flight can cause ripple effects across the rest of your itinerary, resulting in missed connections or long wait times
- Stopovers often require changing airports, which means additional transport costs to get from one airport to the other.
- You will have to go through security again
- You may have to pass through immigration and check in again
- You might need a transit Visa – This visa permits you to stay in a country for a short time, usually between 24 to 72 hours. Don’t assume you can spend more than 24 hours in another country without a visa. If you want to plan a stopover, check to see if a transit visa is required. These are usually easy to apply for and inexpensive to obtain. The benefit is getting a day or two to explore a new destination.
With this information in mind, you can decide whether a layover or stopover is right for your next trip. Do your research and consider all the pros and cons before making any decisions.
Ideas to Maximize Your Time During Your Stopover
If you change your layover into a stopover of one to two days, here are a few thoughts on filling the time.
Consider a hotel near the airport – stay close to the airport if you’re staying for one day.
Take an organized tour of the city – Companies like Viator or Get Your Guide are great resources.
You can try out the local cuisine.
Visit a top attraction on TripAdvisor – e.g., the Toronto Hockey Hall of Fame.
Price Implications of Layovers vs Stopovers
Layovers usually offer the benefit of a lower price as compared to direct flights. And when you book your flight from point A to point B, the layover stop is most often part of the whole ticket purchase buying experience.
If you choose to schedule a stopover (longer stay), you may need to purchase several tickets with the total cost exceeding the layover option. You’ll likely find that planning a multi-city itinerary for your flights is the cheapest option for including a stopover.
In addition to your flight tickets, a stopover will most likely entail needing to book a hotel for one or more nights.
There are full-service airlines that offer stopovers with access to discounted hotels and tours for the stopover location. You might find such opportunities when airlines seek flexibility to encourage passengers to fill seats offered throughout their routes.
Price Example – Direct vs Layover vs Stopover
When you book a flight, you’ll see options for direct flights versus those with one or more stops until you arrive at your final destination. Airlines usually offer a lower price for flights with more extended layovers, so if you’re willing to spend a bit more time getting to your destination, you can often save money by selecting a flight with a layover.
We experimented on Expedia to dig a little bit deeper into the layover cost difference with an eye on the length of the layover. And there are just as many different results in a world of thousands of flights and hundreds of thousands of flight combinations. The one we share is based on the travel we’ll discuss, so it has context for our situation.
Having recently flown to London, our flight included a Layover on the east coast. Here’s an example of price differences if we were to book a similar flight today:
Our sample flight goes from Los Angeles to London via an optional stop in New York.
- The non-stop rate for early October is $573
- When adding a layover in New York, the price drops almost 87 dollars one-way down to $486
- We then priced the journey with an extended stay in New York – say, for example, you wanted to explore the city for 24 hours before hopping onto the 2nd leg of your flight. We found a one-way from Los Angeles to New York of $108 on Jet Blue or Delta and then $432 on American from New York to London.
- The total price with a 24-hour stopover instead of a short layover is $540. That is still cheaper than the non-stop rate by 33 dollars and just $60 more than the standard layover rate.
So, if $60 is worth buying some time to see a city, this is an example of how to break up your flight and see a bit more than you otherwise would. And with such a stop, it gives you an extra day to build your time zone change shock into your system.
Luggage Implications
Airlines will automatically transfer your luggage from your initial flight to your connecting flight when you book travel that includes a layover. A huge benefit is that this saves you the hassle of collecting your luggage and checking it back for your next flight.
You’ll most likely lose this benefit when booking a stopover. So, after your initial flight, you’ll pick up your luggage, possibly go through immigration and customs, and then recheck your baggage when you return to the airport for your next flight after the stopover.
Stopover vs Layover
Making the Decision – Layover vs. Stopover
Whether to go with a layover or stopover largely depends on your travel plans and preferences. Here are a few tips for helping you make the right choice:
- Consider your overall travel time: A layover might be better if you want to reach your destination as quickly as possible since a stopover will add more time to your journey.
- Think about connecting flights: If multiple connections are involved, opting for a layover could be the better option since you’re less likely to miss any connecting flights.
- Consider how long the transit period is: The length of the transit period is one of the most important factors in deciding between a layover and a stopover. If the transit period is longer than 8-10 hours, you might want to opt for a stopover to have enough time to explore the city and get some rest.
- Assess if exploring a new destination quickly is important to you: If you pass through a city you’ve never visited, and it’s on your list of places to explore, the stopover can offer an opportunity to scratch another location off your bucket list.
- Evaluate the cost: While layovers tend to be cheaper than stopovers, this isn’t always the case. So do your research and compare the prices of both options.
- Check if the airline offers a stopover option: You might find that the airline provides a discounted option for choosing a stopover and deals for hotels and tours in the stopover city.
- Consider your budget: Depending on how much money you’re willing to spend, a layover or stopover could be more economical. For example, if you want to explore a new city but don’t have enough money for accommodation, then opting for a layover might be the best option.
One more thing to remember when planning a flight is the local laws of the country you’re traveling to. Make sure to check out any visa requirements and restrictions that might apply to you. Doing that beforehand can help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure a smooth journey!
Ultimately, it all comes down to your travel plans and preferences. Consider these tips when deciding between a layover or stopover and find the best solution for your journey!
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Stopover vs Layover
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
A short layover typically refers to a break between flights that lasts less than 3 hours. However, the definition can vary depending on the airline and the airport. Some airports may require more time for passengers to navigate, so a short layover could be longer. Always check your travel itinerary and the airport’s guidelines to ensure you have enough time to make your connecting flight.
This depends on several factors, including the size of the airport, the distance between gates, potential customs and immigration checks, domestic vs. international flights, and the punctuality of your incoming flight. Generally, airlines typically allow a minimum of 30 minutes for domestic flights for a connecting flight, though a safer bet would be an hour. For international flights, it’s advisable to have at least a 2-hour layover as you will often need to go through security and customs. However, unexpected delays can occur, so it’s always a good idea to allow extra time.
For domestic layovers, travelers are generally free to leave the airport. If your layover is longer than an hour, you might have enough time to exit and reenter the airport. Regarding international flights, you can also leave the airport during a layover, but additional considerations exist. You’ll need to go through customs and immigration, which could take some time. You also need to ensure that your passport allows you visa-free entry to the country you’re in.
However, leaving the airport during a layover does come with risks. If you miss your next flight due to delays in reentering the airport or getting through security, airlines may not be responsible for rebooking you.
Yes, you can leave the airport during a stopover. A stopover generally refers to a break in your journey of 24 hours or more, often intentionally planned into an itinerary to allow travelers to explore the city where they’re stopping. Unlike layovers, which are typically long enough to allow passengers to travel from one gate to another, stopovers can last a few days or weeks.
However, you need to consider factors including potential visa requirements, customs and immigration implications, and rechecking your baggage.
Listen to our podcast episode – Awesome Layover Epiphany and Assorted Airport Lessons
In episode 103, we share Julie’s awesome layover epiphany. Plus, we toss a few lessons from the airport your way.
Lessons From The Airport Cover a Variety of Topics, Including:
- Expecting changes
- Charging devices on airplanes and the airport
- Food tips
- Cables to bring on the flight
- Layovers vs. stopovers
- Getting the seats you want
- Compression sock benefits
- …and more
Conclusion – Stopover vs Layover
During a layover stop in Toronto, we had our epiphany about layovers versus stopovers. Upon landing, I realized that having family near Toronto, we could have scheduled a day or two in Toronto for this part of the trip. With family within an hour’s drive, we could have taken advantage of this stop for a visit. It also would be an excellent way to break up what otherwise becomes a very long travel journey. But it was not to be for this trip – but it is a consideration for future travel, to make the layover locations an extra part of a trip – when practical.
In conclusion, layovers and stopovers offer different ways to extend the length of your trip. Both can be used to add more destinations, experiences, or cultural insight into a larger itinerary. Layovers tend to be shorter, with less time spent in each airport and are usually cheaper than stopovers. Stopovers involve spending at least one night in a connecting city, providing a more immersive experience. Consider your budget and the type of trip you want to take when deciding between a layover or stopover for your next journey.
In either case, check with your airline regarding any restrictions on layovers or stopovers before booking. Also, remember that planning can save time and money, so ensuring you’re informed and prepared before taking off is worth it. With the proper research, resources, and mindset, a layover or stopover can enrich your next trip!
Happy travels!
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