Can I Leave The Airport During A Layover?
Mar 02, 2011 | Comments 39
A lot of people want to know: how do you know when you can leave the airport on a layover? For most layovers, you can leave the transit area in between flights, as long as you go through customs and immigration on the way out, and of course you’ll have to pass through security again on your way back into the airport. However, some tickets may not permit you to leave the airport. Always check beforehand with your airline to see if your ticket allows you to leave the transit area.
You will also check ahead of time to see if you’d need a visa to enter the destination that you’re arriving at. Check out our widget (right hand side of the blog) for a quick check to see if you’d need to apply for a visa.
Take into account that at many countries, you will have to go through Customs and Immigration upon your first point of entry, regardless of whether you’re connecting.
Another thing to be aware of is your luggage. If you have a layover, always check beforehand with your airline to see if you can check your luggage through to your final destination. Many lengthy layovers (often times up to 24 hours) are actually considered a connection, so often times you can check it all the way through. In a lot of airports, you will sometimes have to pick up and re-check your luggage. If you need to pick up or hold onto your luggage, you can always leave it in the airport at a locker or Left Luggage facility. You can find out where these facilities are at the airport’s website. If the airport does not offer storage for luggage, you can always leave them in a cheap hotel room while you explore the city.
Always check with the information desk about the best (and if applicable, least expensive way) to get out of the airport and around the city. If you are not familiar with the area, or the language, budget for plenty of extra time to get back to the airport, in case of delays or navigational errors. Also, take into account traffic, and distance when computing the time that you have to see the sights.
For additional layover tips, check out “How Much Time Do You Need To Leave The Airport,” Catching Connecting Flights: What You Need To Know and “Tips For Making The Most Out Of Your Layover.”
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Filed Under: airport • immigration • layover • luggage • security • travel • visa
i was born in england and hold a valid uk passport i am travelling to peru and have a
10 hour layover at new york , i would like to
visit the city just to grab a pizza slice and
have a quick look around i know by the time i get out from the flight and then back to tha airport for my connecting flight ill only have about 5 hours , is this possible or will i have to pre register for a visa beforehand
I would first check with your airline to make sure that your ticket allows you to leave the transit area.
The UK is a country participating in the US Visa Waiver program so you also need an ESTA (Electronic System Travel Authorization) number that must be apply for BEFORE you leave the UK.
You get it here https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and it is usually good for 2 years.
Lovely article! Just curious — I have a 18 hour layover in Heathrow on my way from New Delhi to New York (I have a US visa).
I can’t seem to figure out whether I can exit the airport, have a look at the city — and be right back for my flight without a visa?
Thanks!
Of course you need no visa for the UK!
Hi,
I have a 15 hour overnight layover in Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport travelling from Dubai to Kiev, Ukraine. I’ll arrive at 11pm and leave at 2pm the next day.
I am an Australian citizen, and have a visa to travel into Ukraine, but I am wondering if it will be worth it to try and leave the airport (for some fresh air at least)..
and if so, will I need a visa for the couple of hours? and is there a massive risk in trying to catch some shut-eye in the airport?
Also this website is amazing!
youll need full, pre-arranged russian entry visa no matter how short. not sure cost for an aussie but for me (uk)it was £150, not worth it for hours imho
only exception in whole of russia to this is if arriving via sea to st petersberg, where you are allowed a few days visa free
Hello,
I purchased a flight from Korea to US with a layover in Japan from United Airlines. But when I looked closer at the itinerary the flight from Korea to Japan is provided by a different airline but from Japan to US its provided by United even though I purchased the entire flight from one airline.
Which airline am I suppose to contact in order for me to know if I may travel outside the airport in Japan?
Thanks,
Ryan
I have a layover for 15 hours in Frankfurt Germany, I am a US citizen, can I leave the airport without getting a visa. What is required for me to leave and return the same day?
I have 6hrs layover at Santiago Chile airport.
I want to go check put the city if not too risky to come back for my next flight, domestic flight in Chile. Any recommendation? I have US passport. Thanks
I have a 4 hour layover in the heathrow from sfo. Then going to prague. Can I leave security and meet up with a friend on the other side of security for an hour or two and make it back through easily?
yep, assuming flights on time, allow 1 hour either way, gives you 2 hours in airport at least
Hi,
I have a 12 hour layover in Atlanta coming in from Johannesburg and onward to San Francisco. I am a US citizen. I planned it that way so I could go to a hotel and get some sleep in-between flights. Any issues with my checked luggage going straight thru to San Fran or do I have to pick it up in Atlanta and keep it with me.
Yep! It should not be an issue and your luggage should reach SF.
Hello there, I am an American citizen flying from Jordan to California. My connecting flight is in London Heathrow Airport and my layover is about 20 hours. The airline I am flying with is American Airlines. Will I be allowed to leave the airport to meet up with a few friends in London??
Since you’re an American citizen, you should not require a visa to leave the airport or go anywhere in the UK for that matter.
i am a uk citizen travelling to South Carolina. I have a 11 hour layover in philadelphia and wld like to know whether i am permitted to leave the airport to sightsee during my stop over period. thank you for your help
I’m not an expert but to my knowledge, a UK citizen does not require a visa “just to” enter the USA and vice versa. There may be certain conditions where you “might” require a visa, but for 11 hours, I reckon you shouldn’t need one.
Hope that helps.
Hi,
I will eb travelling back to Manila from Houston and then Los Angeles then Hong Kong to Manila. I have a 13 hour Lay-over in LA. Do I need to check-out my baggae and check-in again for my international flight via Cathay Pacific?
I have a 22 hour layover in Sao Paulo en route to Santiago. Without a VISA may I check into the airport hotel to wait for my connecting flight? Or if I check into the hotel must I first get a visa even though I am just on an extended layover?
I am a US Citizen/passport holder
traveling on TAM from Orlando.
I have a disability and use hand crutches to walk and have leg braces as well.
Travel is March 8 (layover 22 hours) then connect next day to my destination Santiago, Chile. Thankss!!
Hello, I’m from Croatia but now I’m studing in Czech Republic so I have visa for that. Soon I’ll go to Finland and I have layover in Paris for 8 hours and I was thinking about to go and see Eiffel Tower during that time, do I need to have visa for that?
Hi i have a 4 hour layover in spain…i was wondering if this would be enough time to leave the airport…get a bite to eat and return?
Hi there
I am a New Zealander living in the USA on a student visa. I’m flying to Ibiza, Spain with an 11 hour stop over in Madrid. Anyone know if I’ll be allowed to leave the airport? I don’t need a visa to enter Spain of that makes any difference.
Thanks
I have never heard of an airline ticket not permitting you to leave the transit hall. They just care to have you back for the connecting flight, and if not, you may forfeit your ticket and your checked baggage will not be placed on the connecting flight.
If you have a New Zealand Passport and you can show your connecting ticket to the immigration officer in Madrid, and the officer thinks you have sufficient time to make your connection, they will let you into the country.
I am Canadian, and I love exploring when I have a layover, I have only ever been asked for an ongoing ticket, most immigration officers are friendly and will even suggest ways to get places…
my girlfriend is russian and we are going to mexico for holidays from the uk where she has a visa for another two years.
we are stopping in Miami for two hours on the way there and in dallas for three hours on the way back.
Does she need a visa??
My friends and I are flying from Halifax to Amsterdam. On our return we have a stopover of 19 hours in Iceland. I thought we could leave the airport and see a bit of Iceland, but someone told my friends that we wouldn’t be able to do this. Would you be able to clarify this for me?
A friend and I have a layover in Hong Kong for just over 8 hours, we are traveling from the US on our way to Malaysian Borneo. Does anyone know the requirements to leave an cruise around the city? Do we have enough time to see anything?
I left the airport on a layover in Hong Kong, took a bus to a mall and bought a watch! I can’t remember how many hours I had….maybe 6 or so.
soy dominicana tengo una visa de turista a alemania y tengo una escala de 8 horas en madrid queria saber si puedo salir del aereopuerto de madrid barajas a dar un paseo. gracias
I have a 11 hour layover in Shanghai. Do I need a visa if I leave the airport. Also, is there an airport hotel at the airport which I can stay if a visa is required and I do not obtain one?
Hello there! My ticket itinerary is from Manila to Los Angeles via Hawaiian Airlines and I have a 34-hr layover in Honolulu. Can I leave the airport and stay overnight in a hotel during the entire stopover? Do I have to bring with me my checked-in luggage? Please advice. Thank you!
Hi,
I’m flying from Ho Chi Minh City to London with a connecting flight in Beijing. Just wondered whether it’s possible to leave the airport, stay in Beijing for a few days and get the trans-Siberian back to Moscow? (ie, not take the connecting flight to London) It’s actually cheaper to get this flight than to get one from London – Ho Chi Minh city – Beijing.
If I get a visa for China, would there be any problem with missing the connecting flight on purpose?
Hi,
I am traveling to Ethiopia via Turkey, with a 2 hr layover…do I need a visa for Turkey??…I hope to check my luggage all the through.
With 2 hours you won’t be leaving the airport, so you wouldn’t need a visa. But for anyone with visa questions about entering a country, check our via requirements widget on the right hand side of the page.
hii
i am traveling from bombay to boston via zurich?? i have an 11 hours layover at zurich. i have a us visa but dont have time to apply for a swiss visa. canm i go out of the airport at zurich??? if so, how???
i am an indian national
Hi Rayana,
I think you are out of luck, you would need a visa to enter Switzerland if you are travelling on an Indian passport. THe one exception would be if you happen to hold a resident permit for one of the other EU or EFTA countries,,,
I am a US citizen with a US passport going to Australia through China with an 18 hour layover. Can I leave the airport to explore the city and get a hotel room?
I believe US Citizen’s need a tourist visa to vist China, so no you would not be able too, unless you obtain one form the Chinese consulate first.
I have an 8 hour layout in portugal. (from us to spain) Is there any point in trying to leave the airport and trying to see some of the area ?