Waiting at the Airport: 29 tips to make the most of your time

Airports are bustling international travel hubs where worried travelers like ourselves find themselves amidst a whirlwind of departures and arrivals.

Let’s face it, my lovely anxious travelers, for the seasoned adventurer, airports can sometimes feel a tad…well, dull. We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

Stuck with a couple of hours to kill before our flight, the departure board was a cruel reminder that relaxation is still a few thousand feet in the air. And let’s not even get me started on those dreaded delays!

Now, I know what you’re thinking: airports? Fun? Let’s be honest. The prospect of arriving hours before a flight can be enough to send shivers down even the most seasoned traveler’s spine.

The endless security queues, the overpriced coffee, the temptation to check the departure board every five minutes with a growing sense of dread, it’s enough to make anyone pine for the comfort of their couch.

But fear not, my fellow globetrotters! I’ve crisscrossed the globe for over two decades, making airports my temporary waystations between adventures. Having called London home between travels and with family in sunny Italy, let’s say I’ve become intimately acquainted with pre-flight purgatory.

But here’s the good news: airports don’t have to be boring!

With a bit of planning and a dash of creativity, those waiting hours can transform into a delightful prelude to your grand escape. Forget the endless sighing and clock-watching – I’m here to equip you with a treasure trove of tips to turn your airport layover into a breeze.

This guide is precisely about killing boredom, my lovely anxious travelers. Here, I’ll unveil all my fantastic tips to help you ditch the clock-watching and embrace the airport experience. We’re talking hidden gems beyond the usual “grab a coffee and browse the duty-free” routine.

Imagine indulging in a spa treatment to melt away travel stress or sinking into a comfy armchair with a captivating book, all before takeoff. Sounds like a dream?

So, put down that well-worn travel magazine (you’ve probably read it twice already!), and get ready to discover how to make the most of your time at the airport. You might be surprised at how much fun you can have before taking off!

29 Things to do while waiting at the Airport

1. Watch other planes coming and going:

Wasn’t watching planes depart one of our favorite things to do as kids? It was for me. I was lucky enough to start flying when I was four years old, and I remember that I loved it. It is relaxing and enjoyable to see how planes land (and sometimes scary, but those pilots know what they are doing, don’t they?)

2. Charge your phone for free and update your social media:

There are free plugs in every airport, so use them, and while you are charging your phone, post a picture of you and your friends at the airport on your profile.

Just make sure to never use the USB charger, or hackers might get access to your phone and get all your info. Always use your charger to a normal electricity plug.

3. Enjoy the airport lounge:

I have always thought airport lounges were expensive, but only because I have never checked the prices. 

Prices are not so bad in some airports, so I advise you to check them out if your flight has been delayed, you have more than 3 hours to wait, and you have some spare money to spend/invest.

See the all-in-airports membership Priority Pass.

4. Grab a coffee:

Airports always make me sleepy, so drinking coffee is an excellent way to stay awake (unless you are with some travel mates, they will wake you up when it is time to board the plane). 

You can walk inside all the coffee shops (if there is more than one) and look around at what they offer, their prices, etc. It will take some time, but at least time will fly faster than sitting and looking at the floor.

5. Refresh all the destination language sentences you learned for your travel:

I always advise learning some basic sentences before a trip on Duolingo. They will help you communicate with locals, ask for directions and suggestions, or maybe communicate with someone you fancy at the bar you will go to tomorrow night.

6. Check your travel itinerary with your travel mates or alone:

You can download so many apps to plan your travel that you have no idea. I advise checking them up and downloading what you think could help you plan during your holiday.

7. Do some additional research for your travel:

Research is never enough, so do some more. You might find something very cool to do when you arrive at your destination. Check out My Destinations. Maybe you are going to a place I have visited already.

8. Have a walk around the duty-free shop:

I always avoid buying duty-free food, but I found out that sometimes, you can find some excellent deals if you check well enough. It is only up to you to spot them. You have free time anyway, at least you can use it to find some bargains to eat on the plane!

Maxi Toblerone, anyone?

9. Read a novel or check out the new ones:

I always travel with my e-reader, full of novels that I have no idea when to read them all. I read while waiting to board a plane, in my room right before sleep, and while relaxing on a beach (seriously, I can spend a whole day on the beach reading).

Shop my favorite E-reader.

Otherwise, Audiobooks are a perfect solution for people who prefer to listen to a story instead of reading it. 

Check out the Audiobooks.

Another thing I love to do is check out the books at the duty-free shop. They always have the most famous at the moment and most of the time at a reduced price, so you can spend some time there reading some pages, and in case you get hooked, you can buy them.

10. Listen to that podcast you want to listen to for at least one month:

Do you have a podcast that you keep saying, “I have to listen to it as soon as I have some free time,” but you always end up doing something else? 

Well, this might be the perfect time to listen to it. There is free wifi at the airport, so enjoy it! These two on the image above are two of my favorite podcasts; I never miss an episode as they help me improve my travel blog and email newsletter to make sure to help you guys as much as possible to plan your perfect vacation.

11. Make some phone calls:

Making some phone calls will make the time pass faster, but please go to a quiet place to avoid shouting in the middle of the resting area. Call your family and friends if you have some spare time and free Wi-Fi. It will keep you busy and well-entertained.

12. Check what other people do:

In this case, my inspiration comes from one of my best friends, Pamela. She loves spying on real-life people more than watching a soap opera. She always knows everything. I told her she should be a private detective or a concierge.

13. Play some cards or travel games with your travel mate:

I have a few games I carry while traveling, and they ended up being an excellent idea to kill some free time at the airport or on a plane. If you don’t have any, you should have a look to buy some; they are a great travel companion.

Shop travel games.

14. Go to the restroom before they call your flight:

I don’t know you, but I wouldn’t say I like plane toilets, so I always try to use the airport one. They get cleaned often, so they are undoubtedly cleaner than the airplane ones.

Travel Tip: If you arrive at your destination too early for your check-in or your departure time is too many hours after your check-out, and you need a place to store your luggage, check out Radical Storage, a website that shows you all the safe places to keep your bags while still exploring.

15. Look for someone famous or someone you know:

I saw the Milan Football Team once at my city airport. Unfortunately, they were rushing to get on a private jet, so I could not take pictures with them. Other times, I met ex-schoolmates or other people I knew waiting to catch my flight, so give it a go. 

Have a look around.

16. Spend the rest of your foreign money:

I always spend the rest of my foreign cash at the airport. I try not to have too much money before leaving the country I have visited, but I always end up with something, so an excellent way to spend it is to buy something at the airport.

A few months ago, while walking around Barbados airport, I found a lovely turtle I couldn’t resist taking home.

17. Check out your social media:

Checking out your social media is something we always do when we are bored. 

So, while you are checking out some funny videos of cats acting silly or any other videos that will pop up on your screen, remember that there are many Facebook groups or Instagram accounts where you can find constructive tips and info about the place you will visit.

Check them out and add more places to explore at your holiday destination.

18. Watch a movie:

Nowadays, we all have Netflix or Amazon Prime, so why don’t you catch up with your favorite series while waiting to board? Also, don’t forget that with both Netflix and Amazon Prime, you can download some movies in your app and watch them while on a plane.

19. Clean your wallet:

When was the last time you wholly emptied your wallet to eliminate old receipts, dust, and whatever you put in there?

With all your free time at the airport, maybe you could use it to clean it finally. Find a quiet place with a seat next to you so you can use it as a table to place all your items.

20. Play a game on your phone:

We all have a couple of games we downloaded on our phones but that we have never played. Am I the only one? I don’t think so. Maybe your spare time is the right time to check them out.

21. Edit some of your pictures:

It can be on your phone or your laptop; editing some pictures can also be a great way to kill time until you can finally board your plane to your holiday destination.

22. Do your make-up at the duty-free shop:

Looking for a new lipgloss or foundation? At the airport, you can easily find some great discounts. Just ask the ladies at the make-up stand you like if there is any makeup you can try and have fun with. 

Maybe you’ll find something perfect for your face at an incredible price.

23. Refill your reusable water bottle:

Nowadays, every airport has a water filter where you can easily refill your reusable bottle for free. Just empty it before entering the airport and refill it as soon as you enter it. 

Why should you pay 5 dollars for 500 ml of filtered water in a bottle when you can get it for free? Remember that most bottled water we buy at the supermarket is filtered tap water.

Shop my favorite reusable water bottle.

Airport Tip: Most of the time, these water fountains are located near the restrooms.

24. Check out your emails:

How often do you not have time to check out or read some of the thousands of emails you receive weekly? Maybe this is the right moment to check them out and delete what you don’t need. 

25. Try some hand creams from the beauty shops:

After washing your hands ten times between the airport, plane, and all the other transport you will take to your destination, you will surely need some good hand cream. 

So why don’t you check out some good hand creams at the beauty shop? As always, look for those with as few chemical ingredients as possible. Get natural products and take care of your health!

Welcome to my travel guide, my lovely anxious traveler! Want to know who is behind Valentina’s Travel Guide? Let me tell you more about myself.

26. Write in your journal:

If you like to keep a journal, the time you have to spend at the airport could be the perfect time to write down how you feel, what you expect from your holiday, what you wish to do, etc.

Maybe write down a list of all the things you want to do during your vacation and then check it out on your return to see how many of them you managed to do.

27. Clean up your phone:

How often do we download apps thinking, “Oh my god, this is exactly what I was looking for?” only to completely forget about them and use them maybe once a year? Anyone?

It happens to me all the time. I always find a new travel app I can use at a new destination, but I forget to delete it once I leave. So check out your phone and delete all those unnecessary apps you downloaded. Who knows how long ago it was?

28. Go shopping:

Airports are so full of shops that we can spend hours just looking around (it depends on the airport’s size). So check it out, and you might find great discounts. And remember that most airports allow you to shop, leave your shopping there, and collect it once you are back.

29. Get a spa treatment:

Some major airports have spas for getting a massage or a manicure/pedicure. Just make sure to book your treatment in advance, and you will get one of the best ways to kill boredom at the airport and get even more fabulous for your travel.

Before you go…

As you see, darling, with some creativity, even the most mundane airport terminal can transform into a springboard for delightful pre-travel experiences. Remember, a sprinkle of imagination can turn those waiting hours into a chance to unwind, recharge, or even get a head start on your cultural immersion with a taste of the local cuisine!

To truly conquer travel anxiety and become a super-organized explorer like myself, don’t forget to download my free guide, “How to become a Super-Organized Traveler“! It’s brimming with expert tips and tricks, as well as checklists to help you plan stress-free vacations and navigate any travel hurdle gracefully and confidently. Now, explore my dears, and may your airport layovers be as delightful as your adventures!

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