The 10 Best Airports for Layovers

Make your connection one to remember with one of the world’s best airports for layovers:Here are our top 10 picks to make the most of your layoverFAQs about airports layovers

What is a layover?

A layover is a period of time when a traveler has to wait between connecting flights. It happens particularly frequently on long-haul travel, when your itinerary includes one or more stops at an airport en route to your final destination. During your layover, you disembark from your flight and wait in the airport until it's time to board your next flight. Layovers happen when direct flights aren’t available or when a traveler chooses a route with stops to potentially save money, explore different locations briefly or break up a long journey. Whether your layover lasts just a few hours or even overnight, these airports have so much to offer you may not be ready to board your next flight.

The 10 best layover airports ranked

Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai airports are especially sought out as destination-worthy airports. These luxurious, over-the-top international airports have amenities that go well beyond typical airport fare.

1. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Hong Kong

Overview

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world, primarily due to its in-airport amenities and entertainment. Some travelers enjoy HKG so much they purposely plan their long-haul travels with a layover at HKG. The airport is well organized with two main terminals, 1 and 2. Terminal 2 has been closed for several years but is expecting to reopen and see its first flights in 2025.

Why travelers love it

The airport is well-organized, with a bevy of food, culture, spa and entertainment options. Catch a movie at the IMAX cinema, play some outdoor golf, and visit an aviation museum. The airport also has a wealth of duty-free shops and fashion boutiques. Plus, complimentary hot shower facilities in Terminal 1 offer a great way to freshen up between flights. If you have more than six hours to burn, the airport has excellent transport to Hong Kong city. It takes about 30 minutes to reach downtown via the express train.

2. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), Singapore

Overview

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. With amenities such as a movie theater, waterfall, butterfly garden, hedge maze and rooftop pool, you may want to spend the night.

Why travelers love it

Consistently rated the world’s best airport, it’s easy to see why. The airport is filled with art installations, play structures, a climbing wall, and the world’s tallest slide in an airport. Not to mention the airport’s centerpiece, a seven-story indoor waterfall – the world’s largest one indoors. Changi airport leans heavily on biophilic design, a type of design that displays connectivity to the natural environment, offering no less than 13 discreet gardens to explore and unwind in. Another major perk is the free Singapore city tour. Travelers with at least 5.5 hours to spare till their connecting flight can join a free 2.5-hour guided tour filled with iconic landmarks.

3. Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Overview

Dubai International Airport (DXB), famous for its luxury, boasts an airport which is a shopping destination in itself, with a roster of high-end boutiques. Visitors can also indulge in lavish spa treatments including facials, manicures and pedicures.

Why travelers love it

DXB has a range of unique offerings including a health club with a large pool, free shower facilities at Terminal 3, a holistic health center, a gaming lounge, international cuisine, and a range of shops including Dyson, Candylicious, and even a supermarket. There are also several open-air gardens, most famously a Zen Garden, which features over 6,000 plants and trees, plus a waterfall. If you have more than six hours or so, it’s worth exploring the city which can be accessed through private transport or subway. Note that immigration sometimes takes a long time in Dubai and getting back through security will require at least an hour.

4. Munich Airport (MUC), Germany

Overview

If you snag a layover at Munich Airport (MUC) during the Christmas season, you’re in for a treat. The airport hosts a festive Christmas market that includes an ice-skating rink, a carousel, and handmade crafts as well as locally inspired culinary delicacies.

Why travelers love it

• Offers the world’s first airport brewery, a unique "Airbräu” brewery and Bavarian beer garden within the airport.
• Has an outdoor area with seasonal ice skating and curling.
• Relaxation zones, sleeping pods called napcabs and lounges with plenty of seating.
• Great transit options to Munich city. It takes roughly 45 minutes to get to Munich, so plan on having at least a 6-hour layover if you want to explore the city.

5. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), The Netherlands

Overview

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) central location in Europe means that many travelers find themselves passing through this recently renovated major travel hub.

Why travelers love it

• Compact, efficient layout, easy to navigate.
• A library, featuring Dutch authors, that rents out books for free during your layover.
• A sampling of iconic Dutch paintings from Amsterdam’s most famous museum, Rijksmuseum.
• Short, convenient transit to Amsterdam. To not have to rush, it makes the most sense to explore the city if you have at least a 6-hour layover.
• Good variety of dining, shopping, and relaxation options. Plus, there’s an extensive array of healthy options, including fresh juice and smoothie bars, bread from milled whole grains, and plenty of vegetable-forward and fusion-inspired cuisines.

6. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), USA

Overview

Ideally situated only two hours from major American hubs like New York, Dallas, Houston, and Chicago, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is also conveniently close to most of the Caribbean and Central America. Its central location means ATL serves as a major transportation hub for both domestic and international travel. To handle more than 104.6 million passengers, ATL relies on an infrastructure designed for efficiency that will elevate your experience.

Why travelers love it

• One of the busiest airports in the world with a wide variety of food, shopping, and entertainment.
• An extensive Airport Art program, ATL Airport Art integrates art into the daily fabric of the Atlanta Airport for the benefit of both passengers and employees. The Art program commissions site-specific artwork, produces and curates rotating exhibits, and manages performances and artist programming. With over 1,000 artworks in one of the largest public art sites in the Southeastern US, there is always something new to see.
• Multiple lounges, including Delta Sky Club, which offers showers.
• Easy connection between terminals with a state-of-the-art Plane Train system.
• Accessible location for quick trips into downtown Atlanta via MARTA rail (about 20 minutes). Give yourself at least 5 hours to navigate Atlanta and get back in time for your flight, especially if you are embarking on international travel.

7. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), USA

Overview

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) location as the closest West Coast city to both Europe and Asia makes it an ideal international gateway. This has made Seattle one of the fastest-growing airports in North America—it’s currently the 8th largest—for the past five years.

Why travelers love it

• Renovated in 2021 with upgraded, modern amenities and beautiful design.
• Great selection of local food, including seafood, vegetarian options, Hawaiian fusion, and coffee.
• Multiple lounges and rest areas for relaxation.
• Contemporary art collection on display and music program with weekly performances.
• Easy access to downtown Seattle via the Link Light Rail (about 35 minutes). Over six hours for your layover is ideal to check out the city.

8. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), USA

Overview

A leader in sustainability, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is the world’s largest and North America’s first carbon-neutral airport.

Why travelers love it

• A roomy airport with plenty of space to relax and a great variety of dining options, featuring barbecue, Southern cooking, Tex-mex and other regional favorites.
• Two 24-hour yoga rooms, in terminals D and E, spas, and rest zones are available for unwinding.
• DFW takes public art seriously, installing more than 30 artworks, including terrazzo floors, an outdoor sculpture garden, and paintings.
• Skylink people mover train makes getting around between terminals quick and easy.
• Good proximity to Dallas if you have time for a short excursion. Allow for 75 minutes each way and calculate having at least 6 hours.

9. San Francisco International Airport (SFO), USA

Overview

In 2022, The Wall Street Journal named San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as the top large US airport in their annual ranking, based on multiple criteria.

Why travelers love it

• Features include yoga rooms, nap areas, shower facilities with ironing access, and interactive kids’ areas.
• SFO is the country's only airport with a museum program accredited by the American Association of Museums. Large-scale, architecturally integrated works, ranging from wall murals to light sculptures, mosaics to terrazzo, create compelling and inventive environmental spaces-within-a-space.
• Excellent dining options, particularly for fresh, local cuisine.
• Clean, modern terminals with plenty of seating and power outlets.
• Easy one hour BART connection to downtown San Francisco if you have a 7-hour layover allows for sightseeing or more.

10. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), USA

Overview

Among the world’s busiest airports, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is the seventh busiest airport worldwide.

Why travelers love it

• Compact layout, but airy corridors, make it easy to navigate despite being a busy hub.
• Plenty of dynamic art installations that add texture and visual interest.
• Excellent selection of local Southern cuisine, including barbecue and craft beer.
• Signature white rocking chairs placed throughout the terminals for relaxing.
• Close proximity to downtown Charlotte and several other places of interest if you want to explore during a longer layover of 4 hours or more.

*The information above is sourced from the airports official websites in 2024.

FAQs about airports layovers

How do I choose a layover airport?

An appropriate layover airport is one that breaks up an otherwise long flight and gives you the opportunity to explore either an interesting airport or a city that you’d like to visit, albeit briefly. Take into consideration the amenities of the airport, the ease of getting in and out of the city closest to the airport, and the weather patterns of the layover airport. For example, flying through the northeast in winter might make you more vulnerable to weather related delays.

What happens if I miss a connecting flight?

If your itinerary was purchased as one ticket and the connection time was too short and you miss the second (or third) flight, you will not be penalized for missing the flight. The airline will put you onto the next available flight, free of charge. But the reason for missing the flight must be due to circumstances beyond your control, such as a flight delay, not because you were immersed in a spa treatment at the airport or in a nap pod and lost track of time.

Typically, airlines will try to rebook travelers automatically, but you might have to speak with a customer service agent, either in person, online, or by phone. If the reason for missing the flight was due to what’s called a controllable flight delay, as opposed to a weather-related one, and it’s the last flight of the day, most airlines will provide you with hotel and meal vouchers. But to avoid missing a connecting flight and build in enough time, a good rule of thumb is no less than an hour layover for connecting domestic flights and no less than a two-hour layover for international travel.

Do I have to go through security during my layover?

If you have a short layover, you are unlikely to go through security again. However, if you have a long layover, you may be required to leave the secure area and go through security again when re-entering before your next flight. Sometimes you’ll have to enter a new terminal for your next flight, which means going through security again as well.