Long connections: leaving or not from the airport?
Long connections during plane travel are usual and can yield many hours of sheer boredom at the airport. In these situations, passengers wonder if they could take the time to get to know the city a little. The truth is that it is not always worth taking a tour of the local sights and running the risk of missing the flight.
In the case of connections of up to 7 hours, the best attitude is to wait inside the airport. In international travel passengers must pass through immigration and this process can be delayed. You also need to be at the boarding gate one to two hours before your flight.
Another problem is hand luggage. Airports with lockers are rare. Safety procedures, especially in the United States, could cause you to lose time and patience.
So there is no other way: read a book, surf the internet or choose a game on your phone. Enjoy and shop in the free shop, eat in a restaurant and stroll around the airport.
If you just think of resting between flights, look for VIP rooms and lounges, with sofas, free wi-fi, catering services and beverages, magazines, cable TV and bathrooms. Airlines have their own lounges for first class passengers, business executives and loyalty customers.
Planned outbreak
If the connection of your flight is more than 7 hours, you can think about visiting the city and meeting new places. Be aware of the time you will spend on immigration, the size of the airport and how many hours you will be away. Check with the airline if you will have to pay again for the boarding fee when you return to the airport.
Checked everything and will have time? Then run to a currency exchange and exchange your money. To avoid getting lost, give preference to the taxi. Trains and subways are also good options, and many airports are close to the stations.
Over time, the best thing to do is to carefully research and plan the places you want to visit. Prioritize, for example, places with easy access and without long queues. Walking through the central streets, sampling gastronomy and buying souvenirs are a few options for sightseeing. But beware: remember that you will have to return two hours earlier in case of international flights and an hour before on domestic trips.
Best places to visit during long connections
Among the best places to visit between flights are Singapore, where there are exclusive city tours to tourists in transit; Dubai, which in half an hour you know the Madinat Jumeirah mall or the Burj Dubai tower; Lisbon, with its airport located in the central area of the city; And Panama, where taxi drivers already offer road maps.
