Psst… Want to see a new country without spending hundreds of dollars on flight tickets? One of the simplest travel hacks to see a new country without paying an extra cent is … *drumroll* layovers!
That’s right: by adding an extra stop into your flight itinerary, you can actually save money and get more out of your vacation.
My first experience with a layover was on a trip to Nepal, where I had the opportunity to spend 9 hours in Hong Kong on the way to Nepal and another 13 hours on the way back to San Francisco. I got to try some of the best dim sum and boba tea in Asia, climb up to Victoria’s Peak, and meet one of my (now) best friends thanks to a Couchsurfing meetup — and none of this would have happened if I booked a direct flight or a flight with a short layover!
Besides Hong Kong, I also got to see countries that I normally wouldn’t have otherwise been able to fit onto my trip. Some of my other layovers were through Sydney, Australia (9 hours); Dubai, UAE (7 hours); Amsterdam, Netherlands (12 hours); and Kiev, Ukraine (too many to count 
).
Thanks to layovers, you can see a new country or city for free – and I’m here to show you how. Planning a layover is simple if you follow these easy steps. I’ll tell you everything you need to know, such as which airlines are best for layovers, how to fly with layovers, how to deal with luggage/hotels, and even a few flight tickets hacks.
Let’s check it out!
