layover
LAY-oh-ver
/ˈleɪoʊvər/
A period of waiting between connecting flights or stages of a long journey.
Generally refers to a flight connection pause lasting anywhere from an hour to less than 24 hours.
The story behind the word. Originated in American railroad slang during the late 19th century when train crews would 'lay over' overnight at rail depots before their return shifts.
Word relationships
- stopover: A stopover typically lasts longer than 24 hours, whereas a layover is shorter transit time.
- direct flight: A direct or nonstop flight involves no layover or transit stop.
Commonly confused with
- stopover: A layover is usually under 24 hours within transit; a stopover is an intentional overnight stay exceeding 24 hours.
Collocations
- long layover
- overnight layover
- brief layover
- layover in [city]
Example sentences
- "We had a three-hour layover in Frankfurt before catching our connecting flight to Tokyo." Flight itinerary
- "During her long overnight layover, she decided to rent a transit room inside the airport terminal." Airport leisure
Memory hook
Lay over and rest your legs while waiting for your next plane. The pause between planes.
When not to use
Do not use 'layover' for a multi-day stay at an intermediate destination (that is a 'stopover').
Fun facts
- Changi Airport in Singapore offers free city tours to passengers with layovers longer than five and a half hours.
Explore more words
sojourn, take a break, excursion, waypoint, interlude, sightseeing
Also appears in
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