Layovers can be taxing on your nerves and make you feel as if you’re never going to get to your final destination. Make the most of your between-flight time and avoid boredom with our tips for how to pass the time while you’re waiting for a flight.
Get moving
If you find yourself with a few hours (or more) to kill between flights, one of the best things you can do to keep busy is to get moving. You’ll feel less sluggish, and you can work off some of the frustration of being stuck at an airport. You can burn some between-flight calories by taking brisk walks around the airport or hit the gym. Many airports have fitness centres of varying sizes for passengers, including Chicago O’Hare, Munich Airport, Dubai International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport and Toronto Pearson. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport boasts a 24 hour yoga studio, as does San Francisco International Airport.
Get a spa treatment
In addition to gyms, many airports offer spa services like massages and manicures that can make for a relaxing way to pass some time during a layover. XpresSpa has more than 50 locations in 22 major airports and offer massages, nail care, skin care and waxing. Be Relax has spas in several U.S. airports, as well as airports in France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. They offer massages, oxygen and aromatherapy, face care, skin care, waxing and hair care.
Go sightseeing
Depending on how long your layover is, and how close the airport is to a city centre, it might be worth leaving to do some sightseeing. If the airport you’re at has good connections to and from the city, grab a map from an information kiosk and take a shuttle or public transportation into town to explore. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back to the airport so you don’t miss your flight.
Pay for lounge access
Particularly long layovers can be tough to handle when you’re tired or just need a break from the throngs of people around you. If that’s the case, you can pay for day use at many airport lounges. Perks at each lounge vary, but you can expect comfortable seating, showers, free Wi-Fi, snacks, drinks and newspapers.
Window shop
Even the smallest airports have duty free stores and souvenir shops. Pass some of your time between flights by doing some window shopping. The bigger the airport, the better the array of shops, so depending on where you are, you might be able to spend a good chunk of time browsing. Some of the best airports for shopping include London Heathrow Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Frankfurt Airport and Vancouver International Airport.
People watch
Airports are one of the best places to people watch since there are so many people going through them at any given time. Find a comfortable spot (maybe even on a bar stool), and spend some time observing all the different types of people who pass you. If you’re feeling creative, try to imagine where they’re going and why. This also makes for a fun game if you have kids with you.
Have a drink
It’s never a good idea to get tipsy before a flight, but you can waste time with a good book or magazine and a beer or a cocktail at an airport bar. Many major airports now have wine bars, and sophisticated restaurants where you can go to feel as if you aren’t actually stuck in an airport.
Lead photo: N i c o l a
