But when you have substantially more time or if there is some attraction that you are highly interested in seeing, you are probably going to be interested in leaving the airport grounds. In this article, I will break down everything that you need to know about whether or not it is ok to leave the airport during a layover and I will also spell out all of the things you need to think about when doing so.
Yes, in the vast majority of cases you can leave the airport during a layover in the US and even when traveling internationally. However, whether or not you should leave the airport is an altogether different question. Below, I will cover all of the different factors you want to consider before choosing to leave the airport for a layover. Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions! How much time you need on your layover depends on how far you are planning on going, how long you are planning to stay there, and whether or not you are someone who wants to play it on the safe side or cut it close.
TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for domestic travel and three hours before for international travel. So the same rule would apply to layovers. If you want to play it on the safe side, you can start by giving yourself at least two hours of cushion for when you arrive back at the airport.
This means you can take your layover time and subtract it by two hours, and that gives you the total amount of time that you could spend exiting the airport and making your way to your destination and getting back.
I know that there will always be some of you who are okay with cutting it very close when it comes to getting back to the airport in time. But even you people should know that many major airlines in the US require all customers to be on board the aircraft 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time for domestic flights and no later than 30 minutes before your scheduled departure for international flights. This means that the absolute latest you could be at the gate is usually 15 minutes before departure in some cases it could be 10 minutes.
If security is not long and you already have your boarding pass on your mobile device you could arrive to the airport around 30 minutes prior to your departure and maybe make it to the gate in time but that would still be pushing it. For example, imagine that you got hit with secondary screening SSSS and you had to go through that whole process. In that case you would most likely miss your flight due to the extended amount of time needed for the screening.
So if you are coming back to a domestic airport I would try to give yourself at least 45 to 60 minutes prior to your departure time to be safe, even if you are prone to cutting it close.
If you are coming back for an international flight, I would give yourself 60 minutes to 90 minutes at the bare minimum. You really need to factor in every aspect of your travels during a layover to get a precise idea of how much time you have.
If you are arriving back into the United States, you need to consider how long you might have to wait to get through immigration and customs. Immigration is the first station that you go through upon entering a country. Sometimes these lines can be outrageous depending on the location and the timing of your arrival, though typically your wait time will be around 20 minutes.
You can find data on average wait times here. In order to expedite your way through customs and immigration, you should invest in Global Entry. That pass could save you a good 20 to 30 minutes when making your way through immigration so it is a very wise investment. The application process takes a little bit of time and you will have to schedule an interview but it is totally worth it.
Plus you can get this for free by utilizing credits that come with a lot of credit cards. One thing to remember, if you are dropped off at the side of the airport that is far from the exit you also have to think about the additional time it will take you to walk from your gate to where you can get through immigration and customs.
This could easily add 5 to 15 minutes in a lot of cases, depending on whether or not trams are involved. But if you are switching airlines or you opt to have your bags received at the layover airport then you will obviously have to think about the time needed for checking your baggage as well. In our Chicago example you are arriving back from outside the country, and since Chicago is your point of arrival back into the country, you will have to pick up your bags there and re-check them for your connecting flight.
So now you need to allocate some more time for how long it might take to pick up your baggage which could be anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes you still always have to be prepared for those unfortunate times when the bags take even longer to come out.
So you are already looking at about 25 to 40 minutes that it could take for you to get through immigration and to claim your checked baggage. Some travel insurances may help cover some of those costs if you do miss your layover, but the moral of the story is just to not miss your connecting flight.
But, if you want to leave the airport during a layover on an international flight or domestic flight, just be sensible about it. Email Great to see you sign up! My name is Chris and I love culture, history, and everything that can be learned from places abroad. I like travel and, sometimes, I like to write about it too! View all posts by Chris Newton. Your email address will not be published.
Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Question: Can you leave the airport during a layover? Answer: Generally yes, you can leave the airport during a layover. Is It A Domestic Flight? Is It An International Flight?
How Long Is Your Layover? Great to see you sign up! Published by Chris Newton. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. You will be required to go through the security check again. Also, in the case of international flights, one needs to go through customs and immigration, which may be a 10 mins thing or may make you stand for hours, depending on the length of the queue.
US citizens, mainly are at an advantage here for the non-requirement of Visa, so if you are laying over for more than 20 hours, there is no reason to move around the terminal 5 for the whole day. As a British citizen, you can leave the airport during the layover in Iceland without wondering about can you leave the airport during a long layover, return in time.
Still, for passengers from other countries, you will need a transit visa to move around the city before you board your connecting flight. In short, the answer to can you leave the airport during a long layover is yes, but only if the layover is really long. The reason is simple: the procedures you have to go through may take a lot of time out and in which leaves you with very little time to explore the city that may be risky.
Because, if you cannot make it in time, then you miss your flight and stuck in a foreign city or a country with a full cost of another plane. Hi, I'm Bhavesh Bhati thanks for visiting my blog! I've been traveling and exploring epic locations around the world for the last four years. I'm always looking for real adventures like treks, waterfalls, and Offroading!
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