Should You Fly Direct or Layover For Your International Flight?

Is It Easier to Fly Direct or Have a Layover On a Long Haul Flight?

Sometimes, we have choices when we book an international flight. We can choose the time, day, and the number of stops along the way. On other trips, the airlines dictate how and when we can fly to certain locations.

If you’re traveling somewhere and have the chance to pick a flight with a layover (meaning you stop at an airport somewhere along the way to your final destination), you might assume that such a stop would be a waste of time, in the grand scheme of things.

Actually, you might be surprised to learn that a lay-over or brief stop is a better option than getting a direct flight. Although the process can take more time, there are a few reasons not to check the “direct only” box when searching for a flight.

Bear in mind that searching for different types of tickets (direct versus indirect) takes time, and making an informed decision usually means visiting a half a dozen sites or more and conducting lots of searches. But the time you spend is definitely worth it!

Let’s learn a little bit about what you may encounter should you choose a non-direct flight, and whether you should get a direct or layover flight for your next international vacation.

(note: some of the links here are to websites with which I am an affiliate, and your purchases help fund my website!)

Saving Money With Layovers & Economy Class

The most obvious reason you may want to choose a flight with a stop or a layover is that it can save you money. In some cases, the savings can add up to thousands of dollars.

Let me share an example. When I booked tickets for Morocco, flying direct to Paris before flying to Marrakech was $1,000 more expensive than getting tickets with a lay-over in Newark, New Jersey.

I searched for tickets for a few solid months, almost on a daily basis. Over those months, I got to know the routes used by each airline, the most common places for a layover, and the price differences I could expect booking on various airlines.

In the end, it made the most sense to choose a flight with a layover rather than spending so much more money for the direct flight. Now, it’s worth noting, too, that I was able to secure us better seats by choosing the flights with the layovers.

And, if you’re curious, the reason I booked a ticket into Paris and then booked a separate ticket into Marrakech was the price. It was much less expensive to fly to Paris on a big jet and then fly a regional (well, small European) airline from Paris to Morocco.

Flying Direct Versus Upgraded Seat Options

Not only was I able to reduce the price by choosing a ticket with a layover, but with a little searching on various airlines, and some Google image searches of our prospective seats, I was able to make sure our seats were a little better on the layover flight than they would have been on the direct flight.

Funnily enough, you can literally do a search for a particular class of seat and the jet you plan to fly on and get a ton of pictures of the seats that your tickets will get you, based on your class of seat.

Some airlines even offer pictures of various classes of seats, too, so you can compare what’s offered. Bear in mind though that sometimes airlines partner with other airlines to provide service on certain routes.

Let’s take the same example I mentioned above. The tickets from Los Angeles to Paris. Now, I was looking at Delta tickets and noticed that certain flights were handled by Air France, while others were offered on Delta.

The pictures of our seats on Air France were different than the seats we’d have on a Delta flight. When you’re making a decision about flights based on the seats you’ll get, it’s really important to take a look at the class you’re flying.

And it’s important to look at the specific name of the flight class, too, because not everyone calls their seats “premium economy” or “basic economy.” Sometimes, it’s just “premium,” and sometimes it’s just “economy.” Some airlines don’t even have business class anymore. They skip from premium economy right up to first class.

How Long Is Too Long On a Long-Haul Flight?

One consideration you’ll want to think about when arranging your international itinerary or next vacation is the length of the flights. In some cases, there’s just no way to get a shorter flight. At least not substantially.

If you’re flying from the United States, it’s virtually impossible to reach Asia in less than 11 hours, and that’s Japan, not mainland China or Southeast Asia. If you want to travel to Vietnam, Thailand, or another country in that area, you’re looking at 13+ hours just for the first leg!

As you plan your itinerary, one thing to consider, then, is the length of the flights. For some travelers, getting off a plane – even if it’s just to walk through the airport to another flight – is absolutely necessary for sanity.

If you’re a smoker or you’re traveling with one, a stop at an airport can make the difference between a completely intolerable amount of time in the air and a brief respite with a cigarette in a smoking lounge, somewhere along the way to your destination.

I’ve been on a flight that lasted more than 13 hours, and honestly, I don’t know how one could make that amount of sustained travel in an airplane truly worthwhile without a private suite like they got in Crazy Rich Asians with the main characters jetting off across the Pacific.

If you have trouble sitting in one place for more than a few hours, a layover can create a much more relaxing and less stressful experience for you. However, if you’re one of those people who can sleep anywhere or who can just zone out in a book or seat-back movie for 10 hours, a layover could save you time and get you to your destination sooner.

Is Premium Economy Or an Upgrade Worth It for Long Flights?

I am a firm believer that the longer the flight, the more worth it it is to upgrade your seats, at least to premium economy. One of the best reasons to choose a layover is the time you save when traveling, since descending in a jet and walking through an airport to another flight can add hours to your transit time.

You’ll usually need to consider your personal feelings on sitting in a small seat for many many hours. I usually tend to lean toward getting on premium economy for flights that cross an ocean, but I stick to regular economy when flying domestically or when the flight is less than seven hours.

When looking at the amenities offered on your premium economy options, you may find it helpful to consider options like double-wide arm rests, which aren’t a standard feature on every flight, and they can mean the difference between a ticket worth splurging on or not.

Other amenities that are offered on some flights but not others include foot rests, upgraded meals, wider seats, and significant seat pitch. Some airlines definitely have better premium economy seats than others, so it’s helpful to investigate the actual seats you’re interested in from the actual airline you intend to fly on.

In many cases, premium economy will help you survive an excessively long flight, and you’d be surprised how much just a few inches of extra room in front of you or to the side of you will make when you’re in that seat for ten or more hours.

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