What to Do on Your Next Stopover or Layover
Forward of the Wing brings together a collection of independently vetted stopover guides and layover guides for key airport hubs and stopover cities around the world. From stopover guides and itineraries for first time visitors, to off-the-beaten-track itineraries for the most seasoned of travellers looking to discover something new, Forward of the Wing covers it all.
Whether you just have a couple of hours at an amazing key airport hub for connecting flights such as Hong Kong International Airport or Singapore Changi, or a couple days to explore the city, Forward of the Wing has suggestions on what to do, where to eat, what to see, and where to stay.
What is a Stopover?
A stopover is an where you break up a long-haul journey with a 1 to 5 night stopover in a key airport hub city, part way through your journey. Certain global cities are better suited to this than others, and some cater to this market of short stay tourists.
Stopovers are a great way to explore a new city without the cost and commitment of flying there as a destination on its’ own.
Many airlines also offer free or reduced cost stopover programs, including Discover Qatar for Qatar Airways passengers, Malaysia Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Iberia, Ethiad and Emirates to name a few. Some airlines even offer free accomodation on your stopover, free city tours, discounted or free meals and visa assistance.
What is a Layover?
A layover is where you have a connecting flight through a key airport hub, to get to your final destination. In some airports, minimum connection times can be as short as 30 minutes, however this leaves no room for delays or cancellations, or else you will miss your connecting flight. I recommend a minimum transfer time of at least 2 hours for connecting flights and 3 hours for self transfer flights usually.
However, in key airport connection hubs such as Hong Kong International or Singapore Changi, the terminals are incredible, with plenty of activities to explore and keep you busy. There, you could easily keep busy for 5-7 hours on a long layover between flights.
Some connection airports, such as Doha Hamad, offer city layover tours and other activities round-trip from the airport for passengers with long layovers, so it’s worth exploring your options.
What do Forward of the Wing Stopover Guides cover?
Forward of the Wing stopover guides cover your full itinerary including what to do, what to see, where to stay, where to eat and more practical tips including getting to and from the airport. Saving you the hassle of researching for hours, for such a short trip. You’ll notice a lot of our stopover guides are 2 nights in length. This is because we think it is the perfect length of time to get a sampler taste of a new city, before continuing your journey onto your destination. Most people in this day and age are time-poor when it comes to annual leave. Maximizing your holiday time is important, so 2 nights is the perfect length.
