Two Beers and a Pretzel

TravBuddy Map of places I’ve been

I’ve been looking into flights from Nashville to Costa Rica, and the potential layovers bring up a question…

If I have a layover in an airport of a country I’ve never been to, do I count that as visiting that country?

My flight may be Nashville (BNA) to Miami (MIA) to San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) to San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). There’s another flight that adds Guatemala City into the mix. If at all possible, I’ll avoid adding another layover.

Anyway, should I count El Salvador in the list of countries I’ve visited?

My first inclination is “No” – especially if I never leave the airport. However, I’m thinking if I have to go thru a security checkpoint with armed soldiers, that might count.

I’ll put a poll up and ask you guys…