Searching flights - how to exclude certain layover countries?
Is there any flight search website that allows to exclude results with layovers in certain countries?
Best Answer
In ITA Matrix there is an advanced routing code for filtering entire countries. Just enter ~l:nUS+ in the routing codes section to avoid layovers in USA for example.
This is where you enter the routing code.
These are the results without any routing code.
These are the results when specifying no layovers in USA.
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Can you choose where your layover is?
As for how you layout your trip, that's entirely up to you. Just remember to include your layover city as your middle destination in the multi-city search. You can book your long layover for the beginning of your trip or on the way home. Example: Let's say that you're planning a trip from Chicago to Bangkok.When you have a layover in another country?
You bypass customs and immigration, so you never get stamped into the country, but you can't leave the airport during your layover. What is this? If you want to leave the airport in one of these places, you'll have to get a visa. Some countries require you to get one ahead of time, while others do visa on arrival.Do connecting flights count as being in the country?
It is normally considered a visit if you are processed by Customs and Immigration, which you don't usually do on a connecting flight. Unless, of course, that connecting flight happens to be in the U.S. or you leave the airport during the connection.How do I find flights with a layover in a certain city?
Use Skyscanner's Multi City Search Tool Once you find a common connecting city that peaks your interest, it's time to compare the round-trip cost with a long layover in that destination with the cost of a multi-city flight. Head back to the Skyscanner search tool and select the multi city option.A Basic Guide to Layovers
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Answer 2
The only site I know with remotely close functionality is ITA Matrix (http://matrix.itasoftware.com). There, you can use "Advanced routing codes" to specify certain airports (though not countries) to not transit through.
Let's say you're going from San Francisco to Delhi, but for whatever reason, would like to avoid China, Japan, and Korea. Off the top of my head, I know that the major hubs in China, Japan, and Korea are ICN (Seoul Incheon), NRT (Tokyo Narita), PEK (Beijing), PVG (Shanghai), HKG (Hong Kong). We can use advanced routing codes to exclude these:
The results predictably go through Europe rather than Asia (e.g., through Munich, Istanbul):
If you missed any airports the first go-around, you can go back and add them to the search filters. Once you have a result that you'd like to book, copy and paste it into BookWithMatrix to book the ITA Matrix itinerary.
Answer 3
Google flights gives you a list of transfer airports it has found and lets you include/exclude them from your search.
Unfortuately it doesn't tell you what countries those airports are in or offer a quick way to (de)-select all the airports in a given country. So excluding all the options in a country like the US may take a fair bit of effort.
Answer 4
I don't know about excluding particular layover countries. However, some sites will let you pick only certain airlines. I believe these option will let you filter out some countries.
For example, a flight search on https://www.travelocity.com/ will let you do the basic search (from, to, and dates) and then let you restrict the search to specific airlines; whether the routing is direct, 1 stop or 2+ stops; and whether the depart/arrive times are morning, afternoon or evening.
Similar options are available with https://www.kayak.co.uk, https://www.expedia.com and probably elsewhere as well.
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