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You know the feeling.
You look at your ticket and bam! A 12-hour layover in the middle of nowhere. Or your flight gets delayed and you miss your connection.
Depression sets in – and you haven’t even started your trip.
Hold on… those long layover flights can lead to adventures if you just have a plan. (And guess what? You might even be able to claim compensation if your layover has been caused by a delay!)
First things first. Compensation, you say?
If your flight is more than three hours late in Europe, you can claim up to $700. Click here to check if you're eligible.
Even if you're nowhere near Europe, you might still be eligible (check the calculator to find out - it's free and anonymous).
There are two ways you can get compensation:
1) Get it yourself.
2) Use a company to get it for you.
Getting it yourself is cheaper: Compensation claims companies take a percentage of your award. If you file on your own, you'll be getting the full amount. A friend of mine, Sarah A., did it this way and after a dozen emails and many months, she received $550.
Another friend did the same. And he got nothing, despite his many efforts to contact the airline.
To me, it's simply not worth the hassle. I'd rather get help without lifting a finger, even if it means I get less.
So when my flight out of London was severely delayed last year, I decided I couldn't be bothered to chase after unresponsive airlines. Instead, I contacted this claims company just to try it out. Yes, they said, your flight DOES qualify for compensation! So I asked them to go ahead. It took a few months - but I did nothing. They handled it all. And one day - success. About US$ 275 was deposited into my account.
My final compensation was 25% higher than that but the company took its commission from the settlement before I was paid. That may seem like a lot, but then, there's a lot of work involved in getting your money for you. While they can't guarantee you'll get compensated, there's no guarantee if I do it myself, either. Given the uncertainty, I'd rather ask someone else to do the footwork.
Whether you're owed money or not, your situation remains the same: there you are, stuck in an airport with nothing to do.
So... what to do during a long layover?
Why spend those hours fretting in place when you could be exploring or out on the town?
The first time I visited Singapore was on a layover. I had six hours between flights, with nothing to do – until I found out about Singapore Airline’s special deal for transit passengers. I took their tour of the city and enjoyed it so much I made it a point to return to Singapore.
It's true: several airlines and airports offer city tours if your flight connects in their hub city.
Define Layover vs Stopover: Both are often used interchangeably. What is a layover? Here's the technical layover definition: a short stop of less than 24 hours while a stopover refers to stopping in a city for a day or more.
Can you leave the airport during a layover? Yes, in many cases you can.
You don't have to be the 'victim' of a delay to take advantage of these tours. In fact, there's an art in how to book flights with long layovers - and it involves either visiting a travel agent to get some help, or poring over flight schedules to find flights with long layovers. For example, if your flight connections take you through the Gulf States or Istanbul, you might have the option of spending upwards of 30 hours waiting for your next flight.
You can take advantage of these long flight connections to get to know a new city!
Singapore City Tour
Changi is one of those airports you don't ever want to leave, but after you've visited the airport half a dozen times, you might want to actually see the city outside.
There are three tours, the City Tour, the Heritage Tour, and the Jewel Tour. The first highlights the city's sights, the Heritage tour looks at Singapore's rich history that mixes Indians, Chinese and Malays, with a sprinkling of British. The third is a walking tour of Changi Airport’s latest development – Jewel.
No reservations are needed (although you can reserve online in advance) but you do need to have a layover time of at least 5.5 hours between flights. Tours are on a first-come first-served basis.
Tours in Taipei, Taiwan
What to do during a layover in Taipei? Passengers with at least seven hours in Taipei can choose from a half-day morning or afternoon tour - but only if they have a valid visa or come from visa-exempt countries.
In the case of Taipei, go to the arrival lobby of Terminals 1 or 2 because no reservations are possible and you can get on either the morning or the afternoon tour on a first-come first-served basis. Make your plans around 8am or 2pm tours.
Narita Airport Transit and Stay Program
These tours are open both to transit passengers and to customers of nearby Narita hotels and come in two formats: a volunteer guided tour, and a self-guided tour. While both are free, the self-guided tours require you to pay for transport to the venue.
You can reserve the volunteer guided tours and several options are available, including a walk in the Japanese countryside. Imagine doing that in-between flights...
Seoul, Korea Transit Tours
If you're spending more than three hours in Seoul's Incheon Airport, a range of eight tours will help you pass the time. Some are as short as two hours, while others will take you all the way into Seoul (and you might fall in love with the city and the country, as I did when I visited South Korea).
While you don't have to reserve, those without a reservation are accommodated on a first-come first-served basis and spaces do run out.
Turkish Airlines Touristanbul
One of the best deals for airport layovers has got to be the tours offered by Turkish Airlines international passengers in transit in Istanbul. I try to transit through Istanbul (and the Grand Bazaar) as often as I can and love the opportunity of going into town). You'll be able to discover some of Istanbul's iconic sights if you have at least 6 hours between international flights.
No reservations are available - just head to the Hotel Desk in the Atatürk Airport arrivals hall.
Discover Qatar Transit Tours (not quite free)
What is a stopover if not a chance to delve into some of the local culture? If you have at least 5 hours between flights, this is your chance to get to know Doha and can be booked online 48 hours before the tours. Given the way Qatar has developed as a hub for moderately priced flights - taking advantage of the long layover times is an opportunity to discover this city - this is one that I haven't tried but it's on my list.
(And the reason it's not quite free is you have to pay a small fee for transportation into town.)
In addition to the free layover tours organized by airports and airlines, there are plenty of other tours designed specifically with the short-stay passenger in mind. You'll find many of these on Viator and Get Your Guide, or see below for some of the more popular ones.
If you're not in the mood for even a short tour, there's no reason you can't strike out on your own and explore town. Just take a few of these factors into account and check your destination or airline's flight stopover rules before you rush past Customs and hop into a cab.
What to do at the airport?
Some airports, like Dubai or Singapore, are so incredible you really have no reason to leave. (Ever.) There are so many things to do at the airports in these countries that it’s like a mini holiday all on its own.
So if you've seen the nearest city or have no desire to, you'll often find more than enough entertainment inside the airport, so much so you may have to pay serious attention not to miss your flight.
But first, check the airport's website. Some airports are so dismal you won't want to spend an extra hour there, let alone half a day.
As for those topnotch airports that are worth an exploration, here are just a few of the activities you can enjoy.
Relax with yoga
Immerse yourself in art
What about culture?
Go for a swim
Play some golf
Be at one with nature
For a bit of prehistory
Watch a movie
And much more...
These days airports are so crammed with activities you can play video games, go gambling, visit full-service spas, browse fabulous bookstores, shop till you drop, eat a gourmet meal, get a massage, and almost anything else under the sun.
Here are just a few examples of exciting airports and things you can do there:
And, some favorites mentioned earlier...
Whether you decide to stay at the airport, take a layover tour or visit the city on your own, remind yourself that layovers don't have to be boring or tiresome - they can be a fantastic part of your travels.