Things to Consider When Leaving the Airport on a Layover
When I first started traveling, I loved layovers. A layover was a great way for me to experience a new place for free. I still excited by some layovers. On this blog, we’ve written about some of our layovers where we’ve left the airport: Hong Kong, Philadelphia, Mexico City, Shanghai, Helsinki, Warsaw, Munich, and Fort Lauderdale. Additionally, on one of my recent trips, we managed to leave the airport in Frankfurt and in Johannesburg. Given that I’ve left the airport on quite a few layovers, these are the things one must consider before leaving the airport. Failure to plan ahead may result in you missing your flight to your intended final destination.
Obviously, domestic layovers are easier than foreign ones. We are familiar with how the airports are set up in the USA, we know how many checkpoints there are, and many of us have TSA pre-check. With apps like Uber and Lyft, access to public transport isn’t an issue. Typically, if I have at least four hours, I feel comfortable leaving a domestic airport. One thing to bear in mind though if using a car service like Uber is car availability. Be sure to plan your return giving consideration that getting a car in some areas and at rush hour may take a bit of time.
Foreign airports are a bit more tricky. There is a lot to take into consideration before deciding if you will have enough time to head into town. Typically, I like to have at least five hours before I attempt a foreign layover. The first thing to bear in mind is the departure time on your ticket is NOT your arrival time to the plane. As a general rule, I subtract a half an hour off that time right off the start. Most airlines close the door to the aircraft 15-30 minutes before departure to mark the flight as “on-time.” Once that door is closed, good luck getting it opened for you. The airlines do not want to taint their on-time stats.
When deciding to exit the airport, take into account whether you will need a visa or not. Getting a visa at the point of entry can be a simple process or could take about an hour. Also know in advance in what currency the visa is to be paid. Many countries will only accept USD. As a general rule, always carry extra USD: a few 50s, 2-3 20s, 3 10s and several 5s and 1s.
Add to your time the time it will take to clear immigration and customs. I usually plan an hour for this.
Before leaving the airport, make sure you have the boarding pass to your connecting flight. Many airlines close check-in an hour before departure. If you arrive after that point, you won’t be able to check-in and won’t be going to your final destination. Also, you won’t want the stress of having to wait in another line; especially if you’re in a hurry.
The next thing to consider is transportation. If you’re taking a train, will the machine accept a credit card (make sure you add this destination to your travel alert with your credit card company before leaving home. You don’t want your card shut off)? Do you have to pay in local currency? Where are ATMs and/or currency exchange kiosks? How frequent are the trains? Will you have time to make the next train should you miss one? How long is the journey to town?
In some countries, be prepared for security to enter the subway and stores. That will take up even more of your layover time.
Returning to the airport, these are some things to take into consideration.
Many airports will have a primary security check for the vehicle you’re in to pass through before being permitted into the airport itself. In addition, I’ve seen screening lines for baggage and passengers just to enter inside the airport. Once in the airport, what you had packed in you luggage may not now be permitted onboard your flight. In Kenya, I was forced to check a bag because my “wooden souvenirs could be used as weapons.” I had to repack my bags on the spot in order to check one with souvenirs and keep the other for things I didn’t want checked. Another time in China, my battery pack was taken from me. In order to get it on board, I had to leave the security area and procure a letter of permission from the airline. Had I been running late, I would have had to throw those items away.
Next you will have to factor in the main security check point on the return. TSA pre-check won’t work in a foreign country (except Canada with a Nexus card) so plan at least 30 minutes on the return. European airports are sticklers for making sure all one’s liquids fit in the one, little, authorized bag that must be zipped completely closed. In Germany ALL electronic items need to be removed and placed in a separate bin. All these things will slow you down.
Plan at least another half an hour to clear immigration again. (One thing to know is that when leaving the U.S. Virgin Islands, you will need to clear customs before anything else. The U.S. Virgin Islands, though a U.S. territory, are out of the customs free zone. So that is another line to plan on waiting in). Finally, when you get to your gate, expect yet another security check in most foreign airports.
Finally, the last thing to take into account is how will you get to your flight. If it’s a walk-on jet bridge, you’re fine. You have until the aircraft door closes. If it’s a bus transfer, you better be at the gate at least 40 minutes before departure. Once the last bus leaves, you’re out of luck. There is no other way to get to your connecting flight.
I hope this information doesn’t scare you out of a new adventure. That certainly isn’t my intent. I hope that this information helps you to decide if you have time for a layover, prepares you for what can happen and that you enjoy that extra stop in your bonus city.
~Bella
