Flying sometimes requires a layover. When I travel I look for the most inexpensive plane tickets that have the best route, which a lot of times requires a brief layover somewhere.
What is a layover? A layover is a stop at an airport that isn’t your final destination. It oftentimes requires switching planes and gates, but not always. When booking plane tickets with a layover, make sure that your layover is long enough that you can easily switch planes without having to rush through an airport to do so.
I like to make sure the layover is at least two hours, but not much more than that if possible. This gives you enough time, if your plane is unexpectedly delayed, to get to your new gate and plane, but not so much time that you are stuck in the airport for hours.
Sometimes a longer layover is unavoidable. For example we are going to Japan and have an overnight layover in Seattle. We actually rented a hotel room for the night and will fly out of the Seattle airport at about 11:00am the next morning. This works out well, because we won’t have to sit in the airport for hours.
So what do you do when you have to wait a few hours in between flights? Read on for some ideas to make the most of your layover. Check out what to pack in your personal item bag, here.
Read or Listen to a Book
I always download a book to listen to and one to read while on vacation. I love reading so this is a no brainer for me. But sometimes I have been reading on my flight already and want a bit of a break from reading. So here are some other ideas to pass the time while on a layover.
Check out my post on books to read here
Get Some Food
Try out a local restaurant in the airport. You can google what is available at your particular airport. A lot of airports will feature locally owned restaurants that can be fun to eat at. I like to share an appetizer and a drink with my partner, because often food is not served on shorter flights in the continental USA.
If you are flying to Seattle, like we will be doing, look for a good seafood or clam chowder restaurant. If you have a layover in the South, look for a good BBQ restaurant. Eat local and try some new foods if you can. If you are in the Salt Lake Airport try out the French Bakery Gourmandise.
Listen to a Meditation
To relax in-between flights, try putting on a guided meditation and closing your eyes to follow along. This can be very relaxing, especially if you get anxiety when traveling. I personally can’t sleep in an airport, so this is the next best thing for me to do to relax.
Guided meditations can be found for free on you-tube or you can download the app Insight Timer, for a library of free meditations.
Get Some Work Done
Use the time on your layover to answer any last minute work emails. I recommend that when you are done with this and before boarding your next flight to put your out of office email response on. That way when you get to your final destination you are fully engaged in your vacation and you can relax fully without worrying about work.
Play a Game
If you are traveling with kiddos, you can turn on a game on your phone. Even if you aren’t travelling with kids, it can be a good time waster to turn on a game and zone out. If you are with kids, try a game of “I Spy”
Walk the Airport
Sitting on a plane for hours can get long, stretching your legs and getting in a walk can be helpful to use some energy before sitting on a plane for the last leg of your trip. Airports are getting more interesting, and there are many stores you can peek in and window shop. I don’t typically buy things at the airport because the prices are so marked up!
Explore the City
If you have a long enough layover, and the city you are in is close enough to the airport, you can go sightseeing. This is best planned out in advance. Plan for where you can store your luggage at the airport so you don’ t have to lug it around with you. Then plan out your transportation, Uber or a cab and even a bus could be an option.
Give yourself plenty of time to get back to the airport and get your luggage and go back through security.
Consider the Airport Lounge
A lot of airports will allow you to buy a one day pass to use the airport lounge. If you don’t want to pay for a pass, consider your credit card benefits. A lot of credit cards give access to airport lounges as a benefit.
Airport lounges can be a good option, say if you want to relax somewhere quieter. They often have food options and drink options, and some even have showers that you can use.
I hope this give you some ideas of how to spend your next airport layover. For an easy minimalist approach to packing check out my post here
-Beck
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