“I hope I miss my flight sometimes.”
Not words you expect to hear from a flyer as frequent as our travel expert, Matthew Brumley. But he's a huge fan of layovers, including those that begin when the pilot comes on and announces a flight delay before takeoff.
“I’m always very happy about that, because I’m thinking, ‘I think I’m going to miss my connection,’” he said. “I love layovers.”
It helps to know the city, or to even have friends there, Brumley said. But even if you don’t, a layover – accidental or planned – can be a great way to see a new place.
And, you arrive rested.
“You get so much more out of your arrival and your time with your friends and family when you finally get to a place, than if you push it through the night on a red-eye,” he said. “It will take you a day or two to recover from that.”
Look For Airlines That Offer Free, Long Layovers In Hubs
Icelandic Air lets you linger in Reykjavik; Turkish Air will give you some time in Istanbul, and you can find overnight layovers in Dubai for trips to Africa and Asia aboard various airlines.
Break Down Your Route With a Multi-City Search Tool
Travel-booking websites often let you plan multi-city itineraries. Find the route you want (Seattle, Amsterdam, Capetown, for example) and book the elements as individual legs using the multi-city tool.
Look For Day Tours That Arrive And Depart From The Airport
Say you have six hours, which is long enough to be bored in an airport, and short enough that it might be hard to find your way around independently. Some companies offer tours that will get you back to the airport in time to clear security and hop back on your next flight.
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"Going Places" is KPLU's weekly exploration of travel topics. Matthew Brumley is co-founder of Earthbound Expeditions, which provides small group travel to clients including KPLU.
