Why These Terms Matter Before You Book

Trip planning has its own language — and when you're new to it, running into words like "open-jaw ticket" or "minimum connecting time" mid-booking can feel like hitting a wall. This glossary cuts through the confusion so you can move forward with confidence.

Whether you're about to dive into the full trip planning walkthrough or just trying to decode a flight search result, use this page as your quick-reference companion.

Stopover vs. Layover threshold 24 hours (Industry-standard definition used by most major airlines)
Common foreign transaction fee range 1–3% per transaction (Typical bank and card issuer range; verify with your provider)
Open-jaw ticket benefit Fly into one city, depart from another
Board basis types Room Only, B&B, Half Board, Full Board, All-Inclusive
ETA vs. Visa ETA is electronic and linked to passport; visa may require an application and physical document (Requirements vary by destination and nationality)

Flight & Booking Terms

Flights come with the densest vocabulary. Here are the terms you'll encounter most often:

  • Layover: A stop between two flights where you stay in the airport (or nearby) before continuing to your destination. Layovers under 24 hours are standard; anything longer is usually called a stopover.
  • Stopover: A planned break in your journey lasting more than 24 hours. Some airlines allow free or low-cost stopovers, letting you explore an extra city on the way.
  • Minimum Connecting Time (MCT): The shortest amount of time an airport officially considers enough to get from one gate to your connecting flight. Booking a connection shorter than the MCT is risky.
  • Open-Jaw Ticket: A round-trip fare where you fly into one city but depart from a different one — useful if you're road-tripping or moving between destinations.
  • Codeshare Flight: A flight operated by one airline but sold under the flight number of another. Both airlines appear on your itinerary; only one actually flies the plane.
  • Fare Class: A booking code (like Y, B, or Q) that determines your seat's price tier, change policies, and how many loyalty miles you earn — even within the same cabin.

Layover

A stop between flights at an intermediate airport, typically under 24 hours. You remain in the transit zone or airport area before your next flight departs.

Open-Jaw Ticket

A round-trip airfare where your arrival and departure cities are different. For example, flying into Rome but flying home from Barcelona.

Board Basis

The meal arrangement included in an accommodation booking — ranging from room only to all-inclusive. Always check what's covered before comparing prices.

Fare Class

An alphabetic code that indicates a seat's pricing tier and rules within a cabin. Two economy seats can have very different change fees or mileage earn rates depending on their fare class.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)

A digitally linked entry permission required by some countries before you board your flight. It is not a visa sticker — it's attached to your passport number electronically.

Dynamic Pricing

A pricing model where costs shift based on demand, booking timing, and availability. Commonly applied to flights and hotels, meaning the same product can vary significantly in price day to day.

Resort Fee

A mandatory nightly charge added by some hotels, separate from the advertised room rate. It may cover amenities like Wi-Fi or pool access, but is sometimes unavoidable even if you don't use those amenities.

Codeshare Flight

A flight operated by one airline but marketed and sold under another airline's flight number. Passengers may check in with the selling airline even though a different carrier operates the aircraft.

Accommodation & Room Terms

Hotel listings use shorthand that can mislead you into booking less than you expect. Know these before you confirm:

  • Room Category: A classification system properties use to rank rooms by size, view, or features — Standard, Deluxe, Suite, etc. Categories vary widely between properties.
  • Board Basis: Describes what meals are included. Common types: Room Only (no meals), Bed & Breakfast (B&B), Half Board (breakfast + dinner), Full Board (all three meals), and All-Inclusive (meals, drinks, and often activities).
  • Guaranteed Late Check-Out: A confirmed agreement that you can stay in your room past standard checkout time — not just a request. Confirm this in writing.
  • Double vs. Twin Room: A double room has one large bed; a twin room has two separate beds. Always verify which you're booking if you're sharing a room with a friend or colleague.

Before confirming any booking, run through the pre-trip planning checklist to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Travel Documents & Entry Terms

These terms come up at borders, visa applications, and insurance forms — get them straight early.

  • Visa on Arrival (VOA): Permission to enter a country that's granted when you land, rather than applied for in advance. Requirements and eligibility vary by nationality; always verify before departure.
  • Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA): A pre-travel permission linked to your passport electronically — not a physical stamp or visa sticker. Required for entry to several countries including Canada and Australia for many nationalities.
  • Port of Entry: The official crossing point — airport, seaport, or land border — where you clear customs and immigration.
  • Travel Insurance Excess: The amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance covers a claim. A lower excess usually means a higher premium. For a full breakdown of how travel insurance works, see our travel insurance explainer.

Always verify visa, entry, and vaccination requirements with official government sources before you travel — requirements change and individual circumstances vary.

Budgeting & Cost Terms

When you're setting a travel budget, these terms help you read the fine print and avoid nasty surprises:

  • Dynamic Pricing: When prices fluctuate based on demand, time of search, or availability rather than staying fixed. Flights and hotels both use it — the same seat or room may cost very different amounts on different days.
  • Resort Fee / Destination Fee: A mandatory daily charge added by some hotels at checkout, separate from your room rate. It's often not shown prominently during booking.
  • Foreign Transaction Fee: A surcharge some banks add when you spend in a currency different from your account's home currency — typically 1–3% per transaction.
  • All-In Price: The total cost including all taxes and fees, not just the base rate. Always compare all-in prices when evaluating flight or hotel options side by side.

72%

Travelers surprised by hidden hotel fees

According to a NerdWallet survey, a significant majority of travelers reported encountering unexpected fees after booking accommodation.

24 hrs

Minimum layover to qualify as a stopover

This is the standard industry threshold used by most major international airlines to differentiate a layover from a stopover.