välikäyntiä

Välikäynti refers to a stopover or layover during a journey, typically in the context of air travel. It is a planned pause in a trip where a passenger disembarks from their initial flight and waits for a subsequent flight to their final destination. This differs from a direct flight, which travels from origin to destination without any intermediate stops where passengers are required to change planes.

The duration of a välikäynti can vary significantly, ranging from a short few hours to an extended period of several days. Airlines often offer options for layovers, and the length can be a factor in ticket pricing and travel time. Passengers may choose or be required to have a välikäynti for various reasons, including cost savings, the availability of flights, or to break up a long journey.

During a välikäynti, passengers usually proceed through immigration and customs if they are entering a new country, or they may remain in the international transit area of the airport if they are not. Airports that commonly serve as hubs for välikäynti are equipped with facilities such as lounges, shops, restaurants, and sometimes even hotels to accommodate waiting passengers. The term is primarily used in Finnish but conveys a universally understood travel concept.