The best cities for 23 hour layovers
Ditch the terminal and grab some non-circulated air!
By Eric — AttacheArrivals.com
A little-known trick to maximize value out of your airfare is to take advantage of layovers. A layover on an international ticket is any stop up to 24 hours. Anything longer than that is considered a stopover and often subject to higher prices.
I’ve taken advantage of 23 hour layovers at over 20 airports by scheduling them in cities that have good connections from the airport to downtown, have good airport facilities like luggage check, showers and places to nap and easy immigration policies. Not all of them have been seamless, but you’d be surprised how much you’re able to see if you want to.
Here’s the best of them:
North America
North America has plenty of airports fit for a 23 hour layover, though finding a place to store your bags at US airports can be a challenge. Since all passengers transiting through the US have to clear immigration and customs, it can be quite annoying for many based outside of the US, but if you’re based in the US and on your way out or in, it’s still very possible to spend a full day in several cities.
San Diego — SAN
Probably the American city with the closest airport to its downtown, San Diego has great beer, Mexican food and a hopping nightlife. While people joke that you can walk to the airport, it’s more likely a 5 minute cab ride. Check out the beaches at Coronado Island, or live music in the Gaslamp district.
San Francisco — SFO
Great food, beautiful scenery and many quirky, walkable neighborhoods. San Francisco has a lot of opportunities to unwind between flights. Since BART takes you right from the city center into the international terminal, it is very possible to stop in for some farm-to-table food, have a few drinks in the Mission and still catch your flight to Asia.
Boston — BOS
With the airport so close to downtown and several redeye departures to Europe, Boston can make for an excellent city to explore on the way over. Check out the Faneuil Hall market or catch a Red Sox game. The Silver line will take right in and out of town, and because this city isn’t a captive airport hub city, you have more airlines options to mix and match if you choose.
Vancouver — YVR
Revamped with a direct train into downtown for the Olympics, Vancouver has it all. Efficient immigration, great Asian and seafood, wonderful neighborhoods and night life up and down Granville and Davie Streets make Vancouver one of the easiest cities in North America to stretch your legs. Take a run along the waterfront and Stanley Park to take in the views and fresh air before you get back in that cabin again.
Las Vegas — LAS
With McCarran Airport literally right on the Las Vegas Strip, a very short cab ride will get you right next to all the gambling you can handle. Try a few hands of blackjack and catch a show while you wait for your connection.
Runners Up:
- Newark — EWR
- Seattle — SEA
- Chicago — ORD
- Minneapolis — MSP
- Mexico City — MEX
All fantastic cities, with minor issues like winter and/or a longish commute into downtown, but still very doable transfers on public transit.
Cities to Avoid:
- Atlanta
- Houston
- Dallas
- Miami
- Los Angeles
- Washington D.C. (IAD)
- Denver
These airports are either not known for efficient service, connections can be harrowing or they are either so far from downtown too much time would be eaten by transit or a car rental would be required. They are possible, but not recommended.
Asia
In general, Asia benefits from big, new modern airports with probably the most amenities of any region. Many are connected into downtown by high speed rail links, making them very convenient to pop in for lunch
Singapore — SIN
The grandaddy of all airports, Changi in Singapore makes you completely question why travel everywhere else has to be so difficult. Immigration even gives you candy! Store your luggage in the middle of T1, T2 or T3, grab some cash at an ATM and be on your way minutes after you land. The Singapore MRT green line will take you into town in about 45 minutes with a short transfer at Tanah Merah.
Dubai — DXB
Because it’s so close to both the old city center and the modern Sheik Sayed Ali Road loaded to the gills with skyscrapers and malls, it’s very easy to hop into a cab and check out parts of Dubai in minutes. The airport amenities are also quite impressive, particularly if you’re flying Emirates in a premium cabin.
Seoul — ICN
There is a convenient train and many private bus lines that will get you into Seoul within an hour. While not the shortest transfer, it’s still pretty efficient and immigration is usually a snap and the Seoul Metro can take you nearly anywhere in the city. The airport even offers coordinated free tours of the city if your layover is over 5 hours. Most of these depart in the morning, but it seems like a great way to get out and see some of the city with zero stress.
Hong Kong — HKG
The Airport Express Train into Central isn’t the cheapest, but it’s quite quick and stops in Kowloon on the way. From either stop it’s usually no more than a few stations on the MTR to get anywhere in the city. Grab some dim sum or take a ferry ride. There are also direct boats to Macau from the airport if you want to get some gambling and dining in while you wait for your next flight.
Runners Up:
Bangkok — BKK
Now with an efficient, cheap airport train, you can bypass a majority of the Bangkok traffic and take a taxi the last mile or two to your hotel. Budget about 75 minutes door to door transit time, but at most a taxi will cost you $300 baht (~$10USD)
Kuala Lumpur — KUL
Also with a quick convenient link into Sentral, this can be a possible destination for a 23 hour layover, with a quick visit for food tourism or views from the Petronas Towers.
Avoid:
- Tokyo (NRT)
- Beijng (PEK)
- Shanghai (PVG)
Chinese immigration policies are pretty strict, though Americans can now quality for a 72 hour transit visa. The airport transfers to all three cities are well over an hour, even with the Maglev to a non-useful part of Shanghai. NRT is simply too far from Tokyo to justify spending the roughly $55 USD roundtrip cost on the Narita Express. But many people cite the village of Narita near the airport as a pretty good alternative. Might be worth checking out if you have time to kill.
Europe:
While they may not be the newest, you’ll often find yourself connecting in Europe. With lots of things to do and pretty efficient public transit, 23 hour layovers are possible in many cities around the continent.
Amsterdam — AMS
Schipol is a mere 15 minute train ride to Amsterdam Centraal Station, so avail yourself of Canal walks, a tour of the Heineken Experience or numerous museums. You can rent luggage lockers on the bottom floor of the arrivals hall or within Centraal station itself (near the entrance — all the way to the left as you’re leaving)
Brussels — BRU
Similarly Brussels is about 15-20 minutes from Central and Midi stations, making it very easy to grab a brewery tour at Cantillon, take a tour of the EU quarter, enjoy some open air live music at Grand Place or sample some fine dining and chocolate.
Madrid — MAD
With easy connectivity to Sol or the Museum Corridor on the east side of the city via Subway or regional Rail, it can make sense to spend some time in a tapa bar in the Spanish Capital. Check out a Flamenco show or the San Miguel Market for some great food and wine.
Copenhagen — CPH
With a short train ride into town, you should be well placed to go nearly anywhere in the city with limited hassle.
Runners up:
- Munich — MUC
- Barcelona — BCN
Both cities have slightly longer train rides into the city centers, but they are quite doable.
- Stockholm — ARN
- ZRH — Zurich
Also very easy to get downtown, but the price points may make these destinations less economical.
Avoid:
- LHR — London Heathrow
Endless busing between terminals, an overpriced Express Train and otherwise about an hour to get downtown. *
- FRA — Frankfurt
Easy access to downtown, but not much to do there, unless you’re really into banking.
What are your favorite airports to stopover in?
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