The Top 10 Ways to Spend Your Layover
For most travelers, an airport layover is a necessary evil, something akin to visiting the dentist. We’ve all been there, stuck in an uncomfortable chair between a screaming child and someone who’s coughing like they have the plague. As the minutes slowly tick by and the delays grow longer, the airport begins to feel like an interminable purgatory. Fortunately, there’s a way out. Here’s a compilation of our favorite top 10 ways to spend your layover.
San Francisco (SFO) started the airport art trend in the 80s, and since then airports all around the world have been commissioning art installations for cultural enrichment. Some inspire, some delight, and some highlight local cultural and geographical distinctions. In addition to large-scale permanent pieces, many airports collaborate with local museums to organize rotating displays. In Chicago (ORD), passengers on a moving walkway are bedazzled as they glide past mirrors and running neon lights. At Changi Airport in Singapore (SIN), a synchronized installation of suspended aluminum raindrops hypnotizes travelers. Rooftop tents in Denver (DEN) transform the airport itself into a vision of the Rocky Mountains. Whatever your next destination, there’s likely an opportunity to dabble in art along the way.
Of course, you might consider drinking away your misery. In addition to the generic bar scene, a number of airports offer brewpubs pouring local craft beer. If you prefer wine tasting over bar hopping, you’ll be delighted by Vino Volo, a wine bar with locations around the US. Vino Volo advertises itself as “your own personal wine country” – nothing short of miraculous in an airport!
While airports were once known as bastions of bland, unhealthy food, change is coming. These days, there’s no need to leave your terminal for fine dining! Consider trying delicious local fair such as cheesesteak in Philadelphia (PHL), crab in Baltimore (BWI), or dumplings in Hong Kong (HKG). For those with particularly discriminating palettes, a growing number of airports tout menus designed by celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. Despite the poor reputation of airline food, United Airlines has taken on the role of food ambassador, inviting a handful of Iron and Michelin-starred chefs into its revamped terminal in Newark (EWR).
In addition to challenging the mental health of frazzled travelers, flying also takes a toll on skin, hair, and muscles. Thankfully, it’s possible to soothe both mind and body at one of a growing number of airport spas. Services may include massages, oxygen bars, facials, manicures, and reflexology. Aveda’s Minneapolis (MSP) location offers free organic tea, mini massages, and quick hair and makeup fixes.
For those who enjoy exercise more than beauty treatments, power walking through the airport is no longer your only recourse. San Francisco (SFO) offers two dedicated yoga rooms complete with dim lighting, hardwood floors, and complementary mats and bolsters. Swimming, personal trainers, and fitness equipment are available at The Kempinski Hotel Fit & Fly Spa in Munich (MUC). Amenities at G-Force Health Club in Dubai (DXB) include a gym, showers, saunas, steam rooms, and Jacuzzis. For cardio without the gym, a walking trail including two 55-foot staircases winds through Terminal D in Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). To help passengers locate airport gyms and workout facilities nearby, AirportGyms.com offers free listings for popular US and Canadian airports.
Given how exhausting travel can be, a nap is sometimes desperately needed. Guarding luggage while nodding off in an uncomfortable chair isn’t anyone’s first choice, but sometimes it’s the only option. If you find yourself in this predicament at night, be sure to ask airport staff for a cot; some airports keep cots, blankets, and pillows available for passenger use. In other cases, though, you might be lucky enough to find yourself in an airport with capsule hotels. Developed in Japan, capsule or pod hotels deliver pay-by-the-hour service in a tiny package. For a reasonable price, guests can snooze securely in a real bed nestled within a snug compartment. Pods range from minimalistic to luxurious. In addition to trendy boutique options, popular brands include Yotel, GoSleep, Nine Hours, and Minute Suites.
For amenities such as food, alcohol, beds, showers, spas, and WiFi all in one place, weary travelers can find respite in airport lounges. Once reserved for First Class and high-mileage flyers, savvy modern travelers know that many of these sanctuaries now sell day passes or can be accessed through credit card programs. LoungeBuddy is a great solution! Other options include buying guest passes on sites like eBay, Craigslist or FlyerTalk.com. The folks at FlyerTalk even report gaining free access by simply waiting at the lounge door and asking to be the guest of people going in.
For those uncomfortable relying on the generosity of strangers for perks, airports are still amazing places to people watch and meet individuals from all over the world. Commiserating over travel woes can be a bonding ritual for people with nothing else in common. If you’re too shy to start up a conversation over a beer, the dating sites AirDate and MeetAtTheAirport cater specifically to co-travelers seeking a romantic airport encounter with someone new. Of course, any geo-locating app like Tinder can be employed for the same purpose.
Instead of going high-tech, pretend like it’s the 80s. Go into the most touristy airport store you can find, buy postcards, and send them to your friends and family. Seriously, who doesn’t appreciate handwritten snail mail now and again? Use your layover to reconnect.
If you have a long enough layover, perhaps the best way to spend it is by escaping the airport altogether. Many airports offer easy access to local train systems, allowing travelers enough time to enjoy a few hours of downtown exploration. Even better, there’s a growing trend of airports offering free local excursions during layovers. Travelers are treated to views of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul (IST) and Temple Square in Salt Lake City (SLC). Other airports with complimentary city tours include Seoul (ICN), Tokyo (NRT), Doha (DOH), Taipei (TPE), and Singapore (SIN).
Planning ahead is key to making the most of the layover experience. An abundance of airport-specific information is available online, so take the time to check out your options before leaving home. With a bit of prep work, your next flight might very well change your perception of layovers.
