What to do on a layover, by how much time you have.
With under 2 hours, eat near your gate and stretch your legs. With 2 to 5 hours, use a lounge, take a shower, book a nap pod or explore the terminal's art, gardens and observation decks. With 6 hours or more on an international layover, or 4 or more on a domestic one, you can usually leave the airport, as long as you can enter the country and are back in time for security.
Updated October 2026
Layover ideas by time
Count from when you're off the plane to when the boarding door closes, not from landing to takeoff.
| Time to spare | What fits | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 hour | A coffee, a snack, a restroom, a walk to the gate | Find your gate first, then look for food on the way |
| 1–2 hours | A sit-down meal, shopping, charging up | Pick a place within a few minutes' walk of the gate |
| 2–5 hours | A lounge, a shower, a massage, a nap pod, airport art and gardens | Lounge access often comes with a credit card, airline status or a day pass |
| 5–8 hours | A day room, a gym or pool, or a short trip out of the airport | Leaving means immigration, getting back through security and transport time both ways |
| Overnight | An airside transit hotel, or a hotel near the airport | Check whether your bags are checked through to the final destination |
Things to do inside the airport
- Eat well: most hubs have a local restaurant or two worth seeking out, not just food courts.
- Lounges: quiet seats, food, showers and Wi-Fi. Priority Pass and premium credit cards get you into many of them.
- Rest: sleep pods, quiet zones and airside hotels let you nap without leaving security.
- Freshen up: showers in lounges and spas, and pay-per-use shower suites at some airports.
- Sights: gardens, art, museums and observation decks at airports like SIN, AMS, SFO, DOH and IST.
- Move: walking paths, yoga rooms and gyms, which beat sitting at the gate before another long flight.
Should you leave the airport?
Only with time to spare. Count the trip into town and back, the passport line in both directions and security on the way back in, then add a margin. Our guide to leaving the airport during a layover covers visas, bags and how much time you really need.
Layover guides for airports worth exploring
Lounges, restaurants, spas and rest spots at each airport.
The rest of the answer.
What can I do on a 2 hour layover?
Have a sit-down meal near your gate, browse the shops, or spend an hour in a lounge if you have access. Leaving the airport isn't realistic in 2 hours.
What can I do on a 5 hour layover?
Use a lounge, take a shower, book a nap pod or a massage, or explore the terminal's art and gardens. At some airports with a fast train into the city, a short trip out is possible on a domestic layover, but it's tight on an international one.
Can I sleep in the airport during a layover?
Many airports have quiet zones, sleep pods or an airside transit hotel. Some close parts of the terminal overnight, so check before you plan to sleep at the gate.
How do I find food near my gate?
LYVR shows restaurants, bars, shops and lounges near your gate with real walk times on the indoor airport map, so you know what you have time for.
Can I get into an airport lounge on a layover?
Yes, with a business or first class ticket, airline elite status, a lounge membership like Priority Pass, an eligible credit card, or a day pass. LYVR's airport guides list each lounge and what gets you in.
Find what fits your layover, near your gate.
Free, in your browser. LYVR finds the layover, times every walk and fills the gap.
Plan my layover →About these numbers
Times here are general rules of thumb from airline connection rules and LYVR's own walk-time and checkpoint data, not official minimums. Entry rules depend on your passport; confirm with the country's immigration authority and your airline before you travel.