![]() ![]() Make sure your carry-on has one change of clothes, a bathing suit (optional), extra underwear, etc. Pack Your Carry-On Correctlyĭon’t leave it up to the luggage gods. Knowing in advance that a storm is brewing can give you some extra incentive to do more research (see above) about your connecting city, just in case. While some seasons tend to have more flight issues than others (I’m looking at you, winter), weather has a pretty high impact on whether your flight will be on time or will even be happening. Thunderstorms can interrupt summer flights. In the shoulder seasons, I worry about hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. High winds and sleet and ice storms can ground air traffic in certain areas. Intense fog at Heathrow or SFO are common issues. ![]() With global warming, weather patterns are getting whackier. Winter brings unexpected snowstorms, including Nor’Easters in the U.S. Traveling in any season has its fair share of weather worries. You can hit the ground running when you realize that your next flight is delayed for a long time or cancelled and you’re pending rebooking, at the airline’s whim. Knowing a little bit about a place is a huge advantage if you get stuck there. Have an idea of what type of cuisine it’s famous for, or if there’s a restaurant that you’d like to try if you had some more time there. Get information regarding the best places (areas) to stay. How? Look up some blog articles with some “Best of” itineraries, some “24 Hours in _” itineraries (like this one on Santiago, Chile – a popular stopover en route to Mendoza, Argentina and Easter Island). If you have a flight that connects somewhere, do some quick research on that place even if you have no intention of ever spending more than 2-4 hours in its airport. ![]() Of course, I’m always touting the perks of doing research in advance of a trip. The first step to surviving an unplanned layover is to do your research. New Zealand recently (on October 1, 2019) began to require a visa for most passengers who were even just passing through the airport – so check before you book! DO YOUR RESEARCH Oh, also: book your layover for a city/country where you don’t need a visa if you want to leave the airport. Getting stuck in Lisbon would be terrible, obviously. Most recently, we connected in Lisbon so that we could do a free stopover in Lisbon on the way to Austria and if we got stuck in Lisbon on our way back (which we allllllmost did), I wouldn’t be mad about it. Reykjavik (Iceland) is also a great layover option for flights to/from Europe and the U.S. I try to fly through NYC, Chicago and London for this reason. Or choose the lesser of all evils, if you don’t particularly like any of your options. Maximizing your layover enjoyment starts with this – fly through a city you wouldn’t mind getting stuck in. ![]() But, what if you had a backup plan to make the most out of your detour? Read on for some tips on how to survive an unplanned layover and even enjoy your detour as part of the journey! BEFORE YOUR TRIP: IDENTIFY YOUR LAYOVER OPTIONS & BOOK YOUR FAVORITE You might even get home much later than planned. It can ruin your trip, or at least your day. What I’m talking about is when a connecting flight city or airport suddenly becomes a destination for 12 hours or more because your next flight is delayed or cancelled. Hopefully you don’t have a flight booked with Wow Air…since they’re now out of business :-/ What is an “unplanned layover”? ![]()
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