Transfers - how to survive and enjoy it

A long transfer and sleep at the airport may not be a nightmare, but a dream come true. Do you know how to arrange a trip for free during a Singapore layover or a futuristic sleeping accommodation? Get tips how to see your transfer flights as new opportunities.

Explore the possibilities of the airport

Airports in San Francisco, Amsterdam and Paris have their own museum. Texas Austin remains faithful to his bohemian spirit and holds concerts for free at the airport. Enjoy the transfer in Munich by visiting the mini-brewery and in Tokyo the café with the planetarium. International airports are coming up with new ways how to make the layovers more enjoyable. The airport in Singapore offers not only lounges, games, cinemas and other activities, but also a relaxing garden with live butterflies.

Take a trip during a transfer

Many airports offer the opportunity to take a sightseeing tour to explore the local monuments. But so far only 8 airports offer city tours within the free transfer. These include, for example, Singapore, Amsterdam, Salt Lake City, Doha or Seoul.

Discover the benefits of a transit visa

Transit visa is associated with trips with a long layover. It is a short-stay visa, which serves precisely in case when you have to land on your way in a country with which the your country has no visa-free regime. You must have a transit visa in such countries, even if you do not step out of the airport or leave the passport control area. The transit visa may be valid for 8 hours as well as 48 hours. Take advantage of this and plan an extra stop on the way. In 24 or 48 hours, you can explore enough, for example, from Hong Kong.

Ask for a friend for transfer

Are you flying with KLM, transiting in Amsterdam and you have an iPhone? Then you are entitled to a transfer friend. Under the Layover with a Local program, a volunteer will take you for a tour of the city to meet your interests. As an ice-breaker he invites you to a drink paid by KLM. Icelandair offers their employees for a friend during a layover in Reykjavik. Among their volunteers were pilots, even the executive director of the company. A suitable partner was selected according to your interests. The programme is not available at the moment, but rather check the page Stopover Buddy program when traveling with Icelandair.

Relax in the comfort of the lounge

Even though you have an economy ticket, you can indulge in the convenience and service of airport lounges. Entrance to the lounges can be paid either by ordering a full-day pass or cash upon arrival. With a long and night transfers, it pays off. Also, the right payment card, such as Visa Infinite or MasterCard Black, can get you in. Just show them and you get inside for free. The advantage of such an entry is that you do not have to restrict yourself to the airline lounge with which you fly. Just choose the better one.

Connect to the airport wi-fi

The right to free wi-fi should be incorporated into the Constitution. If you also need internet to survive and you do not want to waste your mobile data, connect to the free wi-fi at the airport. The list of passwords at the most frequented airports is regularly updated, for example, in a practical map the WiFox mobile application.

Enjoy the layover comfortably and securely

You find out about the overnight layover while booking the tickets. Get ready as cafefully as possible. Have ready several layers of comfortable clothing that you can put to be on the safe side, the hood helps shade the light. Some backpackers even carry their own hammocks, which hang up at the airport for the night. Even though the dark deserted corner of the airport seems ideal for sleeping, set up a camp in a visible place instead. Ideally, find a place near the airport security location.

Use to the sleeping pods

More and more airports place their automated sleeping pods in their premises, which provide a soundproof and comfortable bed. Some are in the form of a hypermodern deckchair or cocoon, others are booths with a private bed room and a seating area. Cabins are an ideal alternative to airport hotels. Ask for them immediately when the airline cancels the flight or the aircraft has a long delay. As soon as the plane has been delayed for more than three hours, you are also likely to be entitled for financial compensation.

Ask the pilot

What happens when a tyre burst on an airplane? Is it true that the plane sails when landing? Patrick Smith worked as a pilot for many years, and answers the inquisitive questions on his AskThePilot.com blog. The best of the blog has been included in the book of the same name. There is no better book to pack with you. Of course, you can take any book, but do not forget this one. It will last noticeably more hours than a light in the mobile phone or your laptop.