Transit visas · Layover guides · Free
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Find out in seconds if you need a transit visa, whether you can leave the airport, and the smartest way to spend your layover, with every rule linked to its official source.
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Transit visa rules
Passport-by-country rules for airside transit, with exemptions and what it takes to leave the airport.
Airport layover guides
Terminals, transfer times, sleeping spots, lounges and city trips, planned by layover length.
Layover calculator
Is your connection long enough? Get a realistic minimum based on how your transfer works.
Official sources
Every rule links to the government or airport source, with the date it was last checked.
Airport guides
Popular transit hubs
Where most long-haul connections happen, and how to make the most of each one.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Doha
Hamad International Airport
Dubai
Dubai International Airport
Frankfurt
Frankfurt Airport
Istanbul
Istanbul Airport
London
London Heathrow Airport
Paris
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Singapore
Singapore Changi Airport
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Guides
Latest layover & transit guides
Schengen airport transit visa (ATV): who needs one and how to avoid it
Who needs a Schengen airport transit visa to change planes in Europe, the common exemptions, national lists, and how to apply.
Read guide →UK transit visa guide: DATV, Visitor in Transit and ETA explained
Do you need a UK transit visa to change planes at Heathrow? DATV vs Visitor in Transit visa vs ETA, who is exempt, and how to avoid problems.
Read guide →How long should a layover be? Minimum connection times explained
Is a 1-hour layover enough? How minimum connection times work, realistic layover lengths for domestic, international and self-transfer connections.
Read guide →Airside vs landside transit: what it means for your visa
Airside or landside decides whether you need a visa on a layover. Here is what each means, and the five situations that force you landside without warning.
Read guide →Missed your connecting flight? What to do and what you’re owed
What to do if you miss a connecting flight: one ticket vs separate tickets, rebooking, hotels, meals and EU261/UK261 compensation explained.
Read guide →How to check if you need a transit visa (step by step)
A 5-minute method to check transit visa rules for any connecting flight, using the same database airlines use at check-in.
Read guide →Transit & layover basics
What is a transit visa?
A transit visa lets you pass through a country on the way to somewhere else. An airport transit visa (also called an airside transit visa) is needed by some nationalities just to change planes inside the international area, without entering the country. A landside transit visa lets you leave the airport for a short stay between flights.
Do I need a transit visa if I don’t leave the airport?
Usually not, but it depends on your passport and the country. Most countries let travellers change planes airside without a visa, but some (for example the UK and Schengen countries) require an airport transit visa from certain nationalities even if they never leave the transit area.
Can I leave the airport during a layover?
Only if you’re allowed to enter that country: with a visa, visa waiver, e-visa or visa on arrival, depending on your nationality. You also need enough time: as a rule of thumb, a layover of at least 6–8 hours for a short city visit.
How long should a layover be?
For international connections on one ticket, aim for at least 1.5–2 hours at large hubs and 3+ hours if you change terminals, pass immigration, or are on separate tickets. Use our layover calculator for an estimate tailored to your connection.