The nonstop flight leaves at an inconvenient hour and gets us in exhausted. The connecting itinerary has civilized departure and arrival times, but a relatively short transfer in an airport we don't know. The price difference is modest. After missing one connection years ago, I may be overpricing that risk. Which would you choose for a trip where losing the first evening would be annoying but not disastrous? I'm trying to weigh real door-to-door fatigue, not just time in the air.
Choosing between a nonstop flight at an awkward time and a connection at a comfortable time
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3 replies
I’d lean the other way only if the connection airport is very easy and the layover is generous. A short transfer in an unfamiliar airport ca...
I’d lean the other way only if the connection airport is very easy and the layover is generous. A short transfer in an unfamiliar airport can turn a civilized itinerary into a sprint.
The layover length matters more than people admit. If it’s short enough that one delay ruins it, I stop seeing it as comfortable.
If the price difference is modest, I’d make the choice based on the transfer airport itself. Some places are easy; some are a trap with nicer chairs.
And some are easy until you land in the wrong concourse. That’s the part I always forget until I’m there.
3 replies
For a trip where one lost evening is annoying but not disastrous, I’d probably take the nonstop if it avoids a stressful connection. Being t...
For a trip where one lost evening is annoying but not disastrous, I’d probably take the nonstop if it avoids a stressful connection. Being tired on arrival can be easier to handle than worrying about making the transfer.
I’ve paid extra to avoid the “land at midnight and hate everyone” version of a trip. But I still want enough buffer that I’m not checking the departure board like it owes me money.
Same. I’d rather be mildly sleepy than mildly panicked.
I’d also think about what the arrival day is for. If you need to do anything useful that evening, the nonstop may win even if it’s ugly.