The Art to Sleeping in the Airport

Keep Luggage with You

 "YES!!", you scream as you purchase that cheap ticket for your next trip. "OK, so I have a 7 hour overnight layover. It won't be that bad...", you foolishly rationalize to yourself.

All well-seasoned international travelers have experienced this. Having to spend the night in an airport comes with the territory when you're on a tight budget or crunched for time.

For some travelers, anything more than a 4 hour layover means "I get to go sightseeing and mark off another city on my bucket list!" This is great when you arrive in London at 11:20am and your connecting flight is at 9:35pm. The challenge is when these extended layovers are during the night; arrive in Geneva at 11:55pm and your flight out is at 6:15am.   

Being on a tight budget means you don't want to waste money on: sleeping in a hotel for only 2-3 hours or taking a taxi back to the airport at 4am because there is no public transportation.  

Avoid Isolated Areas

Welcome to sleeping in the airport! Here are a few things to keep in mind to make it as pleasant as an unpleasant situation can be.


1. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Accept the fact you won't sleep well. This is not a hotel, so don't expect to get a full night's sleep. However, you can use your jacket or luggage to serve as a pillow and a small bed. 

2. Walk around. Don't just settle for the first seat you find. Remember, you are going to be here for the next 6 hours. Visit the airport. Some bars and restaurants stay open till 1 or 2am. Find areas where other travelers are resting so that you're not in an isolated area of the airport. Look for comfortable couches or benches where you can lie down.

Busy Yourself

3. Busy yourself. Playing games or talking with fellow travelers will make the time go by quicker. Bring a book or movies. Find a bar that's showing the game or the news on a large screen TV and plant yourself in front of it.

4. Be safe. Even though you want quiet, avoid isolated areas. Keep your bags as close to you as possible. Don't leave your bags when you go to the restroom.

5. Be respectful. Spring Break doesn't start at 2am in the airport. Even though you're in a large spaced environment, don't be rowdy or loud. Nobody wants to hear what you did last night or you playing the guitar. Limit your bodily noises (no farting, no loud belching and wear your nose strips so the entire terminal doesn't hear you snoring).

Get Comfortable

6. Freshen up. When you wake up go brush your teeth, wash your face, and put on deodorant. Spruce yourself up some. Spending the night in the airport doesn't mean that you need to look or smell like you did.

7. No running. Set the alarm on your watch or phone so that you wake up in plenty of time. You spent the entire night in the airport; thus you have no excuse for waiting until the last minute to check in and get through security.