Whether you happened to get there super early, have an ultra-long layover, or are “stranded” until whatever is wrong can be fixed, being stuck at an airport is not a whole lot of fun. Of course, if you have access to a club lounge, it’ll make your time more comfortable. But if not, well, even if you kill some time by shopping, eating and drinking, eventually you’re going to want some other things to keep you busy. How about these?
Talk To People
I can’t believe I’m putting this first, especially since I’m an introvert who hates (HATES!) talking to strangers. But if you can find someone who seems nice and interesting, it’ll help pass the time, and who knows, you may wind up with a lifelong friend (or if not, an hour-long one).
Return Loose Luggage Carts (And Maybe Get Money!)
Ever see Tom Hanks in The Terminal? Then you know what I mean. Depending on the airport, if you return a loose luggage cart, you can sometimes get a small amount of money back. Return enough carts over a few hours and it could give you a nice stockpile of change.
Exercise
There are relatively few airports in the United States that boast a gym inside security, but there’s nothing stopping you from walking or even power walking through each leg of an airport terminal. You’ll burn some calories and even stretch your muscles before that long flight.
See What Free Activities The Airport Offers
Knoxville Airport has rocking chairs EVERYWHERE. There are free movies at Portland International Airport. Singapore’s Changi Airport has lots and lots and LOTS of things to do (I’d even venture to say it’s the #1 airport you’d want to get stuck in). Austin and Memphis both offer concerts galore, there’s even a brewery tour in Munich Airport, and bunch of airports house mini museums.
Puppy Therapy
Nope, I’m not kidding. If you’re in San Francisco, LAX, Miami, Orlando or San Jose, look for the dogs (and sometimes other animals) wearing “Wag Brigade” or similar vests. These therapy dogs have been hand-picked to help travelers get rid of their stress from traveling.
Photo via www.flysfo.com
Play Pokémon Go
If you’re a fan of the game, airports can be a great place to find some awesome Pokémon.
Do Yoga
San Francisco International, Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway, Miami International and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airports are just some of the airports that offer free yoga rooms. Most also have complimentary loaner mats available.
Learn CPR
At several airports across the country, passengers can learn to save a life while waiting for their flight by taking a free course on an interactive hands-only CPR kiosk. A “how-to” video is followed by a practice session on a rubber manikin and a 30-second CPR test. Click here for more info about the kiosk at DFW, for example.
Photo via www.passengerselfservice.com
Take A Free City Tour
We already told you about walking tours you can find in a whole lot of cities, but there are some airports that have tours that start from within the airport! Incheon International Airport in South Korea, Narita International Airport in Japan, and Changi Airport in Singapore will take you on a tour of the city while you wait for your flight. Check out this page for more possible tours.
Play Airport BINGO
About 10 years ago, I was stuck in an airport in Seattle for about 4 hours. To help pass the time, I wrote an airport BINGO game on a napkin. iPhones were brand new, and I had one, so I had grand plans of getting rich by turning it into an app someday. Unfortunately, I had no idea of HOW to turn it into an app though, so I never did, and remain comparatively poor to this very day. But if you do a search for “Airport BINGO” on Google, you’ll see that apparently other people did ;-). Click here for an online version.
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