It is always a daunting task to figure out how to pass the time in an airport, whether you are traveling with a very long layover, or if you are like me and just happen to get to the airport 7 hours before your flight even boards (since that's the only time I could find a ride). The fact of the matter is that you are trapped in an enclosed space, surrounded by strangers and likely filled with anxiety over whether or not your flight will be delayed or your gate will be moved.
When I was dropped off at the airport at 2 pm, and my flight to go home was not scheduled to leave until around 10 pm, and the airport only offered 45 minutes of free wifi, I knew I would have to work to keep my spirits up.
Here are just a few tips on how to pass the time while alone in an airport, from recent, first hand experience:
- Grab some coffee - I knew I was in for a long afternoon, so I found the nearest coffee place and treated myself.
- Catch up with a friend - My best friend recently moved to Chicago, so I found a semi-quiet spot to sit and chatted on the phone with her for an hour!
- People watch - There are so many interesting people crossing paths at the airport. I happened to sit in a spot right by a people-mover, so I had fun watching people literally pass by me for hours.
- Dive into a book - I bought Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, to put on my ipad, and got just about half way through!
- Window shop - There is always a wide array of interesting shops in the airport, so take a look and see what you find.
- Explore the other terminals - Use the time before your flight to really stretch your legs.
- Listen to your favorite playlist - Tune out surrounding passengers and airport sounds with your go-to playlist.
What do you do to pass the time?
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