73
votes
Accepted
Is a 13-hour layover in the middle of the night enough time to go see Buckingham Palace?
As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) ...
- 7,546
62
votes
How to find better food in airports
If online resources aren't doing the job as you said, then the only logical solution is to find an employee who seems to be friendly, and ask them!
Employees know better, perhaps they even know some ...
- 96.4k
59
votes
Am I allowed to leave Houston airport during a long layover on an international connection?
For any landing in the US, you have to go through immigration, no matter what your further plans are - there is no concept like 'Transit Area'.
After that, you are inside the United States, and free ...
- 28.5k
55
votes
Alitalia changed my itinerary, leaving me with an impossibly short 45min connection time at FCO
It should be possible to make the connection, or Alitalia would not state a minimum connection time of 45 minutes. So you have a good chance of making the second flight. However, I agree that it is ...
- 2,379
54
votes
Is a 13-hour layover in the middle of the night enough time to go see Buckingham Palace?
Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.
You could obviously do it ...
- 3,851
52
votes
Why do airlines offer flight itineraries with unrealistically short layovers?
Airlines, in conjunction with airports, set a minimum connection time (MCT) for combinations of flights at a certain airport depending on a number of factors, such as whether one is international and ...
- 28.4k
48
votes
Accepted
Am I allowed to leave airport in the USA during a 23-hour layover?
Having an American passport usually means you are an American citizen. As such, you can enjoy unrestricted travel in the US.
The other travelers will have to be admitted to US before the start of the ...
- 4,658
45
votes
Skip Heathrow flight after passing security
Couple things to add to all of the above answers. First, as pointed out in another answer, it's best to book a flight with the departure time around the same time as you friend's departure time (so as ...
- 14.2k
44
votes
Will the airline wait for me if my incoming flight is delayed (same airline)?
They may wait for you, because they know you're coming, but they won't wait for very long and waiting is not guaranteed. They have a schedule to keep, and there may be operational reasons why they can'...
- 37.6k
43
votes
Visiting Frankfurt on a 3-hour layover
No, this isn't feasible. It will probably take you around 30 minutes to get off the plane and through immigration (and probably more if you're not an EU citizen). It's then about a 15-minute train ...
- 18.6k
42
votes
Accepted
Is a 1hr 3min layover at ORD (Chicago) enough when coming in international?
For a normal international flight, the answer would be a clear "not a chance".
However, your flight is different. Most flights from Canada (including yours) go through US immigration and customs in ...
- 118k
41
votes
Am I allowed to leave Houston airport during a long layover on an international connection?
Houston, Texas, has two major airports. If you're flying from YYZ to SYD by way of Houston, you're almost certainly flying through IAH, otherwise known as George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
As the ...
- 657
39
votes
Do I need a visa to transit between German cities when I have a U.S. visa?
Sorry, you'll need a Schengen visa. The lines you are quoting are about transiting via a single airport ("MUC or FRA", not "and"), meaning you fly in, change planes and fly out without ever entering ...
- 98.7k
38
votes
What can I do at Hong Kong Airport for 13 hours?
There are more options of restaurants etc. (at generally better prices) if you pass through security and immigration. Only passengers can enter the terminal at the moment (documents and tickets are ...
- 16.5k
36
votes
One hour 10 min layover in Newark; International -> Domestic connection. Enough time to clear customs?
Even without immigration and an infant it would be very tight on most airports.
The time immigration takes does depend on the time of day and day of the week but also on your relative location in the ...
- 58.4k
33
votes
What can I do at Haneda airport for 8 hours in the evening?
I assume you are doing an international-to-international transit and this is happening soon, in which case I'm sorry, you will not be allowed to leave the airport. Japan remains essentially closed to ...
- 98.7k
31
votes
Is a 13-hour layover in the middle of the night enough time to go see Buckingham Palace?
Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, ...
- 159k
30
votes
Accepted
How to get to Niagara Falls (Canada side) from Toronto airport during a layover?
You have plenty of time to see the Falls, go on the boat, and cross the bridge to the American side if you like.
I would recommend renting a car from the airport, if you can drive. I'd expect to pay ...
- 37.1k
30
votes
Skip Heathrow flight after passing security
At Heathrow T5 through the use of biometrics, domestic and international (+international transit) passengers are able to mix. For this reason it isn't possible to just walk out once you 'miss' your ...
- 401
29
votes
Why do cheap flights with a layover get more expensive when you split them up into separate flights?
One obvious and common interpretation is that people going to Moscow (from London or Tokyo) are often prepared to pay for the additional convenience of a non-stop flight (especially if they are flying ...
- 104k
28
votes
Accepted
Is 54 minutes enough to transfer from domestic to international in Houston?
You are right that you won't have to go through passport control or any other formalities other than walking to your gate. The catch is that they officially recommend you be at the gate 30 minutes ...
- 85.7k
28
votes
Visiting Frankfurt on a 3-hour layover
No, this is not a good idea.
To extend on @DavidRicherby's answer. I just did this a couple of months ago, but on a 9 hour layover.
From plane to train took a little over an hour and a half. I ...
- 2,591
27
votes
Iberia changed my flight and I now have a 24+ hour layover in Madrid, what are my rights?
A flight changed to the next day is essentially the same as a long delay/cancellation as far as EU air passenger rights are concerned. But if you have been informed more than two weeks before ...
- 104k
27
votes
If I was deported from Canada when I was underage, am I able to have a layover in the US?
The best approach here is to apply for ESTA, which you will need to transit the US on the visa waiver program. ESTA is valid for two years, so you can apply now to see whether it is granted.
Pay ...
- 129k
26
votes
With a Canadian student visa, can I spend a night at Vancouver before continuing to Toronto?
You'll clear immmigration and become a temporary resident at your first port of entry into Canada. You told us that you would be entering at Vancouver, so this is where immigration will take place.
...
- 61.7k
24
votes
What can I do at Hong Kong Airport for 13 hours?
While I understand your reluctance to go to downtown Hong Kong at this time, one of the major tourist attractions is right by the airport. You can get there without entering or passing through any of ...
- 63.8k
24
votes
Will the airline wait for me if my incoming flight is delayed (same airline)?
Do airlines typically wait for passengers who are flying in with the same airline and have a short connection?
Typically not, at least not on US domestic connections. I have personally experienced ...
- 91.3k
24
votes
Handling luggage with a 23 hr layover between Montreal and Toronto then to USA
The overriding answer that applies in all circumstances is "if you ask the airline to short check your bags you can get them at the layover point and then recheck them in again when you head off ...
- 79.8k
23
votes
Can I leave Gatwick (London) airport and explore the city as a US citizen?
With a US passport, you can enter the UK without a visa (for up to 180 days--well more than your 7-hour stay), so that's no problem.
The problem will be that Gatwick is far from the city. ...
- 20.3k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible