Planning your own trip from scratch can be overwhelming. You need to find a way to get there and back, somewhere to stay, things to do, and so much more! The first thing you’ll probably be booking is flights but that decision itself is full of smaller choices. Which airline do I fly? What airport(s) is best? Should I fly direct or opt for a layover stop? Do flights REALLY cost that much???
We used to stress over these decisions when we first started travelling but we’ve done it so much now that it’s down to a science. We’re always asked for advice on booking flights so we want to share our extensive experience with you.
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Pros of Layovers
A layover adds one (or more) stops to your journey before reaching your final destination. These range from “short” stops under 2 hours long to some that can last 20+ hrs. This helps break up the trip a bit and gives you more of a chance to stretch your legs. It also lets you eat something a little better than what you get on the plane!
We have actually had some great experiences being “stuck” in an airport during a multi-hour layover. There are a number of positives when it comes to choosing a layover for your flight.
Layover vs. Direct FLight Price
Let’s start with what can be one of the most important factors when planning a trip – cost! Travelling is an expensive hobby so it’s best to try and save money wherever you can. The money you save on flights and hotels can be spent on activities, food, or souvenirs when you get there. You can save a lot of money on flights depending on when you book, how far in advance you’re booking, and whether or not the flight has stops along the way.
If you opt for a layover flight instead of direct, you can save over 5% on the cost of the flight! This might not seem like a lot but savings on long flights can really add up.
Get a Change of Scenery
One of the downsides of flying is the monotony of sitting on a plane for hours on end. You’re stuck sitting next to the same people looking at the same small screen with occasional breaks to walk the aisle or go to the bathroom – exciting stuff! Adding a layover to your journey will get you out of that uncomfortable space and let you keep busy with something other than a movie.
Make sure to do some research on the airport you are stopping at so you know what’s available. Some airports might only have a few shops and restaurants while others are full of wondrous things to discover.
Changi Airport in Singapore, for example, has multiple gardens, a waterfall, swimming pool, movie theatre, and so much more! Some airports, like Changi or Schiphol in Amsterdam, also have short-stay hotels with showers to freshen up before the next leg of your journey.
See a New Place During a Layover
It would be great to have unlimited vacation time that allows for constant travelling. Unfortunately, most workplaces just don’t understand wanderlust and only give a few weeks vacation per year. This means you are probably only able to see one new place per trip so you don’t use up all of your time off at once. If you do the right research, however, you might be able to squeeze in the sights of a second country or city with the right layover setup.
You will usually find a layover will last 2 to 4 hours but there are some that can last 24 hours or more if you look for them. We planned a trip to Prague and found a flight that gave us 22 hours in Amsterdam. We had never been to the Netherlands so we jumped at the opportunity for a quick visit. Even though it was fleeting, we had an amazing time walking the canals and seeing the sights before our flight home the next evening.
Did you know you can also have a layover in Iceland for no extra cost? Well, besides hotel and food costs! If you book your flights through Iceland’s national airline, IcelandAir, they offer a layover of up to 7 days in the country at no added flight cost. Why not stop for a layover on your way home from visiting the Eiffel Tower and see why Iceland is high on every traveller’s bucket list?
Pros of a Direct Flight
I know we have made layovers sound like a great option but they’re not always the right way to go. Even though the price is higher, there’s always something tempting about avoiding a layover and heading straight to your final destination. Let’s go over some of the pros of choosing a direct flight instead of one with a layover.
Arriver Sooner than a Layover Flight
The clock starts ticking and the excitement starts growing as soon as you’ve booked your tickets for your next adventure. You already have little, precious time in the new city so you don’t want to waste a single second.
Adding a layover to your trip also adds several hours of travel time that can be better spent at your destination. It can also add time to your return journey when all you want to do is get home to your own comfortable bed.
Opting for a direct flight is well worth the added cost compared to one with a layover. You’ll get more time to explore and you’ll get home sooner! On our trip to Hong Kong, we had the option to go direct or have a stop in Vancouver. Even though the direct flight meant over 15 hours on a plane (just let that sink in…15 hours!!) it gave us an extra 6 hours in HK to really experience the city.
Less Jet Lag
Oh, jet lag. Travel’s cruel cousin! It’s all but guaranteed if you fly further than a time zone or two and it takes away from time that can be better spent exploring. There are a lot of different remedies for jet lag with varying degrees of effectiveness (trust us, we’ve tried them all!). We are always on the lookout for new ways to beat the dreaded travel exhaustion and a direct flight is one way to avoid jet lag.
You may have heard about the Qantas flight from Sydney to New York that tested a new 20 hour direct connection. Part of this test was to see if passengers would arrive more refreshed than if they took the usual route with one (or more) stops. The passengers arrived in New York more energized than if they had made the usual stop in Los Angeles. More airlines are going to be adding direct routes with more efficient planes to help with passengers’ jet lag.
Avoid Missing Layover Connections
Adding a stop to your trip means you have to worry about making it to your next flight. Having a layover of 1.5 hours might seem like loads of time but it can unravel in the blink of an eye. If your first flight is delayed 20 minutes then that eats into your buffer time. This means less time to get off your first flight, get through customs/immigration (if needed), pick up your bags (not all airports automatically send your bags to your next flight), find your next gate, and get to the plane.
Some airports are also massive so it is a feat unto itself to even get from one side to the other in under 30 minutes. We have had a 2.5 hour layover in Frankfurt airport and by the time everything was said and done we made it to our connecting flight with only 10 minutes to spare. If one more thing had gone wrong or been delayed, we would have missed precious hours of relaxing on a Maltese beach!
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
We love travelling but we are also acutely aware that flights are generally not environmentally friendly. We do everything we can do reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible to minimize the impact. The greatest amount of emissions from a plane come from when it is taking off and landing. This means that a direct flight with only one takeoff/landing is less environmentally harmful than a trip with stopovers that add more of those segments.
We also take things a step further by offsetting our carbon footprint for each flight we take. You can do this by giving directly to carbon offset charities or donating to your local tree planting organization. This will help put your mind at ease by balancing out your environmental impact.
Is a Layover or Direct Flight Better?
Even though there is a cost savings with choosing a flight with a layover, we recommend opting for direct flights whenever possible. You will arrive sooner, arrive refreshed, and have a smaller impact on the environment. The ability to have even a few extra hours earlier is well worth the 5% cost difference. After all, you have spent hours planning a trip and want to spend that time exploring a new city not a new plane!
We’ll be adding more of our Travel Tips to help make your travels that much easier. Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter the be the first to know about new posts and giveaways! In the meantime, let us know your experiences of a layover vs. a direct flight in the comments below.
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