When I first started traveling internationally in the early 2000s, long layovers were more common.
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Fewer flight routes and airlines meant that six and seven-hour layovers weren’t uncommon, especially when heading to South America, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Since then, travel has become a much more accessible hobby, and the length of those layovers has been slashed.
That being said, there’s one reason you might actually welcome an insanely long layover: it’ll save you big on long-distance flights. In a similar vein, your airline might have overbooked your flight, handing you an offer too good to pass up to take the next flight.
Regardless of why you end up with a seven-hour-plus layover, you’ll probably want a few suggestions on how to pass the time.
I’ve got suggestions that let you sleep it off, seize the day, or unwind in total comfort.
3 ways to deal with long layovers
1. Find a sleep pod or lounge at the airport (6 hours or less)
The easiest way to manage a long layover is to get some shut-eye. If you’re crossing many time zones and have a busy schedule at your destination, getting added rest will help you offset those less pleasant symptoms of extended air travel, from jet lag to constipation.
The easiest way to rest at the airport is to find a sleeping pod or an airport lounge that offers day passes. Sleeping pods are listed directly in an airport’s directory; most modern, international hubs offer these, including the US’s JFK, Dallas-Fort Worth, and LAX.
If you’re a little too wired for sleep, you can head to the nearest airport lounge. Many lounges let you purchase a temporary day pass that costs around $100, even if you aren’t a member of the airline’s loyalty program or Priority Pass.
For example, Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club, and other airline lounges (usually) offer day passes for passengers flying with their airline that day.
2. Find a hotel that offers day passes (8 hours or more)
If your layover is longer than eight hours, I recommend looking for a hotel near the airport that offers a day pass. Similar to airport lounge access, these deals are easier to find than you might think.
The easiest way to look for them is via DayPass, a company that specializes in hooking you up with luxury hotels that offer hourly or daily room rates.
Or if you prefer not to sign up with the company, you can simply look into the airport hotels nearby and then call directly to ask. Usually, these hotels offer airport shuttles, which lets you save on transportation costs, too.
3. Find a luggage locker, then head out on a day tour (10 hours or more)
If you’re facing a layover longer than ten hours, treat it like a normal day. (But first, make sure you don’t need a visa to enter the country.) The vast majority of airports offer luggage lockers.
If not, you can ask your airline to store your luggage until it’s time for takeoff. From there, the city is your oyster.
In Chicago, you can reach sites like the Art Institute of Chicago or the Siskel Film Center from O’Hare easily. The Los Angeles, you can lounge on Manhattan Beach or cruise the boardwalk in Venice.
The point is: don’t write off a little daytime adventure. Even if you only get to sit down for a meal, you’ll have a much better time outside than being stuck in an airport.
