The Pacific Passage at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) uses a combination of ambient soundscapes and Indigenous art to welcome travellers to British Columbia. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
RADAR
Top 10 Best Cities for Layovers
Explore the top spots for a layover that will leave you wanting more.
By Doug Wallace
If there’s no direct flight to your end destination, you’re looking at a layover. If you’re lucky, it will be in one of these top layover cities in the world. Whether you’re staying at the airport or venturing into the city for instant cultural immersion, you can turn a pit-stop into a memorable part of the journey.
The Jewel Rain Vortex at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. | PHOTO: MARIA/ADOBE STOCK
(From top) The exterior of Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul; the Dubai Mall main entrance with the towering Burj Khalifa in the background; an exhibition in the Jewish Museum Frankfurt: Moses by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim. | PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF SEOUL TOURISM ORGANIZATION; COURTESY OF DUBAI TOURISM; NORBERT MIGULETZ/JÜDISCHES MUSEUM FRANKFURT
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
If you have lots of time, discover top-notch sushi and ramen, high-style shopping, glittering temples and inspiring modern design in the Shibuya, Ginza and Akihabara neighbourhoods, all roughly within an hour from Haneda Airport by train. Hop on the Tokyo Monorail from any terminal and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line to take you into the action. Not enough time to head into town? Edo Koji, on the top floor of Terminal 3, offers a shopping and dining zone that looks like a 17th-century Japanese street, evoking the feel of that period in Japan’s history.
Seoul, South Korea
Incheon International Airport (ICN)
The AREX train is accessible from within the Seoul airport and gets you into the city in 45 minutes. You can then tour palace courtyards, lounge in the cafés or wander the street markets. The airport’s free transit-tour program takes travellers with a layover of five hours or more to heritage highlights such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong tea houses, the Demilitarized Zone and Hongdae Street. The popular K-Stopover program offers travellers various packages that can include accommodations, transportation, airport-lounge amenities and more. But if you’re sticking to the airport, there are ample designer stores, capsule hotel rooms, nap zones, stretching rooms, showers and luggage storage facilities. Spa services include Spa on Air in the basement level of Terminal 1, modelled after a traditional Korean bathhouse.
Singapore
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Deemed the best airport in the world in 2025 according to airport rating firm Skytrax, Changi Airport — with its magnificent hub, Jewel — is a great place to spend hours, even days. Jewel is equal parts rainforest retreat, upscale shopping destination and multi-story amusement centre. The airport features numerous elaborate gardens, including an Orchid Garden, a Butterfly Garden and a Sunflower Garden that overlooks a runway. The lush Canopy Park blends gardens and walking trails with play areas and scenic views from a 50-metre suspension bridge, with views into the Rain Vortex — a rainforest with the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The airport Skytrain will whizz you between terminals with ease. If you’d like to leave the airport, Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit can get you to the Marina Bay waterfront or the shops of Orchard Road in 40 minutes, but a taxi cuts that down to 25.
Dubai, U.A.E.
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
The luxury of this global Emirates hub is world-class — practically oozing out of every corner. The shopping here alone can eat up several hours, as can a peaceful stroll in the Zen garden in Terminal 3. Amenities include rest pods in Terminals 1 and 3, the Game Space in Terminal 3, which has 40 gaming stations, and the Food Village featuring a diverse variety of international flavours. The airport hotel even has a swimming pool within its fitness centre, G-Force Health Club — no membership required. Venturing out, a taxi or the Dubai Metro will have you at Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, and the Dubai Mall in about 30 minutes.
Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
This Lufthansa hub has a seamless rail connection between Terminal 1 and the very compact city centre — in about 15 minutes you’ll be exploring 9th-century Römerberg Square, the Gothic-style Frankfurt Cathedral or any of the 39 museums that comprise the Museumsufer. Foodies can revel in the international specialties at Kleinmarkthalle, a short walk from The Zeil, Frankfurt’s famous shopping strip. The airport has yoga rooms for decompressing and NapCabs — little soundproof cabins for a rest. If you need to store your bag, there are luggage-check facilities in Terminals 1 and 2.
Denver International Airport’s Jeppesen Terminal with its internationally recognized peaked roof, designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects. It reflects 90% of the light, preventing the building from overheating in the intense Colorado sun. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Watch the street performers at Dam Square and the Royal Palace, head to the cobblestone streets of trendy Jordaan District, or even take a canal cruise. The train from Schiphol to Central Station takes about 15 minutes, and then the whole Canal Belt is at your fingertips — compact, walkable and wonderful. Airport amenities include more than 50 retail stores, a multitude of lounges and rest areas, plus showers and workstations. The Airport Park offers plenty of green space and exercise opportunities.
London, U.K.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
The Heathrow Express train pulls into Paddington Station in 15 minutes, and the new Elizabeth Line tube reaches Tottenham Court Road in 30. Either route makes it easy to head into central London for quick-hit attractions and landmarks — or to simply pop into a pub for a pint. Walkable landmarks near Paddington include Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Hop off the Elizabeth Line to browse the shops of Regent, Carnaby or Oxford Streets (or all three). The venerable British Museum and cool neighbourhoods like Soho and Covent Garden are on this line, too.
Toronto, Canada
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Pearson connects to downtown’s Union Station via the UP Express train in 25 minutes. Travellers are then within a five- to 15-minute walk from Toronto City Hall, the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the St. Lawrence Market, where you can fuel up with a peameal bacon sandwich or any number of pastries and sweet treats. Toronto waterfront boat tours will spin you around the harbour, while free attractions anchored around Harbourfront Centre include dance performances and concerts, art exhibitions and outdoor film screenings. Dozens of downtown restaurants and cafés come through for a rejuvenating pit stop.
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Lower Downtown is the place to be if you have a few hours to spare in Denver. The A Line train is your 40-minute route from the airport to the city’s historic streets, craft breweries, boutiques and galleries. You’ll also find some excellent bistros, breezy outdoor patios and the hip McGregor Square, an entertainment hub teeming with trendy street life and pedestrian-friendly spots. Built in 1914 and restored in 2014, Union Station is an attraction in itself.
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
In Vancouver, a connecting hub to East Asia and Australia, travellers can take the Sky Train from the airport to Gastown in 30 minutes. Here you’ll find the city’s best indie-brand shopping, craft cocktails and hip eateries. Gastown is also home to the landmark Gastown Steam Clock, which runs on steam power, puffing and whistling every 15 minutes. You will also find a mix of historic charm and hidden gems in Yaletown and Chinatown, the latter a designated National Historic Site of Canada. Both are within a 20-minute radius. AMA
(From top) A statue of Atlas, located inside the Citizens’ Hall of the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, on Dam Square; London’s famous Carnaby Street; Fat Mao Noodles, by Chef Angus An, is in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown district. | PHOTOS: LUISFPIZARRO/ADOBE STOCK; LIZA POOOR/UNSPLASH; HUBERT KANG/DESTINATION BC
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(From left) The exterior of Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul; the Dubai Mall main entrance with the towering Burj Khalifa in the background. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SEOUL TOURISM ORGANIZATION; COURTESY OF DUBAI TOURISM
(From top) The exterior of Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul; the Dubai Mall main entrance with the towering Burj Khalifa in the background. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SEOUL TOURISM ORGANIZATION; COURTESY OF DUBAI TOURISM
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
If you have lots of time, discover top-notch sushi and ramen, high-style shopping, glittering temples and inspiring modern design in the Shibuya, Ginza and Akihabara neighbourhoods, all roughly within an hour from Haneda Airport by train. Hop on the Tokyo Monorail from any terminal and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line to take you into the action. Not enough time to head into town? Edo Koji, on the top floor of Terminal 3, offers a shopping and dining zone that looks like a 17th-century Japanese street, evoking the feel of that period in Japan’s history.
Seoul, South Korea
Incheon International Airport (ICN)
The AREX train is accessible from within the Seoul airport and gets you into the city in 45 minutes. You can then tour palace courtyards, lounge in the cafés or wander the street markets. The airport’s free transit-tour program takes travellers with a layover of five hours or more to heritage highlights such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong tea houses, the Demilitarized Zone and Hongdae Street. The popular K-Stopover program offers travellers various packages that can include accommodations, transportation, airport-lounge amenities and more. But if you’re sticking to the airport, there are ample designer stores, capsule hotel rooms, nap zones, stretching rooms, showers and luggage storage facilities. Spa services include Spa on Air in the basement level of Terminal 1, modelled after a traditional Korean bathhouse.
Singapore
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Deemed the best airport in the world in 2025 according to airport rating firm Skytrax, Changi Airport — with its magnificent hub, Jewel — is a great place to spend hours, even days. Jewel is equal parts rainforest retreat, upscale shopping destination and multi-story amusement centre. The airport features numerous elaborate gardens, including an Orchid Garden, a Butterfly Garden and a Sunflower Garden that overlooks a runway. The lush Canopy Park blends gardens and walking trails with play areas and scenic views from a 50-metre suspension bridge, with views into the Rain Vortex — a rainforest with the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The airport Skytrain will whizz you between terminals with ease. If you’d like to leave the airport, Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit can get you to the Marina Bay waterfront or the shops of Orchard Road in 40 minutes, but a taxi cuts that down to 25.
Dubai, U.A.E.
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
The luxury of this global Emirates hub is world-class — practically oozing out of every corner. The shopping here alone can eat up several hours, as can a peaceful stroll in the Zen garden in Terminal 3. Amenities include rest pods in Terminals 1 and 3, the Game Space in Terminal 3, which has 40 gaming stations, and the Food Village featuring a diverse variety of international flavours. The airport hotel even has a swimming pool within its fitness centre, G-Force Health Club — no membership required. Venturing out, a taxi or the Dubai Metro will have you at Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, and the Dubai Mall in about 30 minutes.
Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
This Lufthansa hub has a seamless rail connection between Terminal 1 and the very compact city centre — in about 15 minutes you’ll be exploring 9th-century Römerberg Square, the Gothic-style Frankfurt Cathedral or any of the 39 museums that comprise the Museumsufer. Foodies can revel in the international specialties at Kleinmarkthalle, a short walk from The Zeil, Frankfurt’s famous shopping strip. The airport has yoga rooms for decompressing and NapCabs — little soundproof cabins for a rest. If you need to store your bag, there are luggage-check facilities in Terminals 1 and 2.
An exhibition in the Jewish Museum Frankfurt: Moses by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim. | PHOTO: NORBERT MIGULETZ/JÜDISCHES MUSEUM FRANKFURT
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(From left) A statue of Atlas, located inside the Citizens’ Hall of the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, on Dam Square; London’s famous Carnaby Street. | PHOTOS: LUISFPIZARRO/ADOBE STOCK; LIZA POOOR/UNSPLASH
(From top) A statue of Atlas, located inside the Citizens’ Hall of The Royal Palace of Amsterdam, on Dam Square; London’s famous Carnaby Street. | PHOTOS: LUISFPIZARRO/ADOBE STOCK; LIZA POOOR/UNSPLASH
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Watch the street performers at Dam Square and the Royal Palace, head to the cobblestone streets of trendy Jordaan District, or even take a canal cruise. The train from Schiphol to Central Station takes about 15 minutes, and then the whole Canal Belt is at your fingertips — compact, walkable and wonderful. Airport amenities include more than 50 retail stores, a multitude of lounges and rest areas, plus showers and workstations. The Airport Park offers plenty of green space and exercise opportunities.
London, U.K.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
The Heathrow Express train pulls into Paddington Station in 15 minutes, and the new Elizabeth Line tube reaches Tottenham Court Road in 30. Either route makes it easy to head into central London for quick-hit attractions and landmarks — or to simply pop into a pub for a pint. Walkable landmarks near Paddington include Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Hop off the Elizabeth Line to browse the shops of Regent, Carnaby or Oxford Streets (or all three). The venerable British Museum and cool neighbourhoods like Soho and Covent Garden are on this line, too.
Toronto, Canada
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Pearson connects to downtown’s Union Station via the UP Express train in 25 minutes. Travellers are then within a five- to 15-minute walk from Toronto City Hall, the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the St. Lawrence Market, where you can fuel up with a peameal bacon sandwich or any number of pastries and sweet treats. Toronto waterfront boat tours will spin you around the harbour, while free attractions anchored around Harbourfront Centre include dance performances and concerts, art exhibitions and outdoor film screenings. Dozens of downtown restaurants and cafés come through for a rejuvenating pitstop.
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Lower Downtown is the place to be if you have a few hours to spare in Denver. The A Line train is your 40-minute route from the airport to the city’s historic streets, craft breweries, boutiques and galleries. You’ll also find some excellent bistros, breezy outdoor patios and the hip McGregor Square, an entertainment hub teeming with trendy street life and pedestrian-friendly spots. Built in 1914 and restored in 2014, Union Station is an attraction in itself.
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
In Vancouver, a connecting hub to East Asia and Australia, travellers can take the Sky Train from the airport to Gastown in 30 minutes. Here you’ll find the city’s best indie-brand shopping, craft cocktails and hip eateries. Gastown is also home to the landmark Gastown Steam Clock, which runs on steam power, puffing and whistling every 15 minutes. You will also find a mix of historic charm and hidden gems in Yaletown and Chinatown, the latter a designated National Historic Site of Canada. Both are within a 20-minute radius. AMA
Fat Mao Noodles, by Chef Angus An, is in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown district. | PHOTO: HUBERT KANG/DESTINATION BC