We’re sharing a comprehensive list of tips to survive a long layover in the airport, whether that’s just a couple hours or those long and (hopefully less!) painful 6-8 hour layovers. We also share what to do if your layover is longer 8-12+ hours or overnight – that doesn’t involve sleeping across a row of airport chairs!

Sometimes long layovers come with long flights, check out the long haul flight essentials we recommend!

How to Survive a Long Layover – Episode Transcript

0:35

And get ready to embark on a new adventure with us around the globe.

Hey squaddies, Travel Squad Podcast is back with Just the Tip, our Friday mini episode series where we give you quick travel stories, hacks and recommendations to set you off into the weekend.

Right.

Today we’re giving you tips to survive a long layover in an airport, whether it’s just a couple hours or stretching into the six to eight hour zones.

0:58

And at the end, we’ll talk about what to do if your layover is even longer than that.

You know, long layovers, they used to be really uncomfortable for me.

But ever since we now have our priority passes and are able to enjoy airport lounges, they’re not so bad.

1:16

So my #1 tip is to get access into an airport lounge.

You can get this through priority pass.

The Sapphire Reserve has some lounges, Capital One has some lounges in select airports.

And then if you’re flying business class, those specific airline lounges can also get you in too.

1:36

Well, business or first if you’re flying domestic, first class lounges have them just as well.

So priority pass comes as a membership to get you lounge access to select lounges and lots of airports around the world.

And if you happen to be in an airport that doesn’t have lounge access, unfortunate.

1:53

So we’re going to get to what other options are later for you on that one.

But you can get Priority Pass by getting a credit card that offers it as a membership 100% for free.

You can even go to Priority Pass Direct and buy a Priority Pass membership or even some airport lounges if you don’t have access that you’re granted for free.

2:14

Whether it be because you bought a certain airline ticket in first or business class or have the Priority Pass, you can even pay to get in.

So if it’s really long and you want to pay to get in, that’s even an option too.

This is such a good one and sometimes I find myself sad that I don’t have a longer layover and I’m not going to be able to make it into the lounge.

2:37

It it just makes your layover a happy experience and instead of a miserable experience.

I know you’re sitting in a more private area, not to say that some lounges can’t be crowded, but most of them include some sort of complimentary food that is hit or miss.

I won’t deny that aspect of it.

2:54

When it’s hit, it’s great.

When it’s miss, it’s like, what is this?

But but you are in a more private, secluded location.

And if and that’s what I was getting to, yes, Kim free drinks.

So if you like to drink and who doesn’t?

For the most part, when you’re in an airport setting because it’s stressful, you want to relax before the flight.

3:12

If you like to casually drink free drinks in the airport lounge, great way to kill time.

Just don’t drink so much that you forget to board your flight.

Beyond the lounges, though, there are other options in which you can really enjoy your long layover.

A few times Jamal and I have actually booked Minute Suites.

3:30

This is where you can rest privately for an hour in a private suite.

You can take a nap, decompress, sit away from the crowds at the gate.

There’s been times I’ve just laid down on the couch and binge watched Netflix while I was in there.

Have you ever been into a Minute Suites, Kim?

3:46

I have not.

We’ve used it primarily in the Nashville airport.

That’s typically when we have a layover and they have like a minute suites that we’re very familiar with.

So we’ve done it a few times.

Well, and they have it and lots of other airports too.

It’s not exclusive to Nashville.

4:01

That just happens to be the place that we’ve utilized it the most.

But other places that have Minute Suites have a lounge for us to be able to use, where in Nashville they don’t.

So then we use the Minute Suites.

But they’re really nice and a great way to kill an hour by taking a nap to in a very comfortable location.

4:20

If you didn’t even want to just isolate yourself, it’s a great place to take a nap and stretch and lay out.

We have a whole episode about lounges and about how to survive a long haul flight and other episodes like that.

You can find all of those on our website at travelsquadpodcast.com.

4:36

We have a ton of other resources over there too, and sign up for our bimonthly newsletter.

Another great way to kill time for your long layover is entertainment.

Binge watch a TV show, read a book, write or journal.

Do something, but with phones in our hands 24/7 these days or people traveling, you’re going to have your laptop of some sorts.

4:59

There’s no end to the options of entertainment that you have to just kill time.

And Squad tip, prepare for your entertainment.

Download shows on Netflix or download some movies on Amazon Prime.

Whatever app you have, get that on your phone so that you’re ready to go whether you do or do not have good Internet connection.

5:20

And then it’s, if it’s already downloaded, you have it ready for the plane too.

But even better to kill time in the airport because yeah, sometimes the airport has really shitty Wi-Fi connection or if you’re not connected to the Wi-Fi, just even service within the airport.

So it can make streaming or doing that type of entertainment watching very hard.

5:39

So I like that Kim download it in advance too.

I always bring a fresh book.

There’s been times where I’ve brought books that I was like part way through and when I’m in the airport or on the plane I binge read the book that and I’m done with it.

So the rest of my trip I have nothing else to read.

5:54

So I either have to bring another book or start with a fresh one.

Or buy a new book in the airport.

True.

You can use your layover time to be productive.

This is great to knockout some work.

You can clean up your folders, delete the thousands of emails that come in.

6:14

Do all the unsubscribe so that you get off those e-mail lists, catch up on different tasks.

I like to make myself A to do list.

Actually, as we’re sitting here right now, I have A to do list that says Thursday travelling and these are things I’m going to do while I’m in transit tomorrow.

6:31

I.

Love it.

Kim, you know you and Brittany are really good at this because Jamal, when he’s travelling, he likes to just stick to the entertainment, right?

I really wish I was productive and do some of the examples that you mentioned.

I will always look over at Brittany.

And in downtime at the airport, she’s going through her phone cleaning out duplicate photos because of course, you know, we’re travelling a lot.

6:52

You’re going to take 510 photos in exactly the same spot because you want to get the best one out of that 5 or 10.

Brittany will take the time to go through and be like, all right, these ones aren’t good.

These ones aren’t good or they’re not the best and delete it and kind of clear those logs.

I never do that.

I commend you for that, Brittany.

7:09

I wish I was more productive.

So I need to do that to kill more time in the airport for sure.

I do a lot of work on the podcast in the airport.

I plan trips often while I’m sitting in the airport for my next destination.

I charge my phone and sometimes I even make phone calls that I’ve been meaning to make to my family and catch up with them between flights.

7:31

I’ve.

Actually been doing that a lot more.

Calling people while you’re waiting, That’s the.

Time you haven’t called me.

Well, maybe I was with you, I don’t know.

You could even do a yoga sesh while you’re sitting there in the airport.

Wouldn’t necessarily be something I would do, but more serious yogi’s.

7:48

I see them all the time practicing in the airport.

You know what’s so funny about the fact that you say that?

I don’t know who put it on the show notes for us to make sure that we mention this, but when we traveled to Africa with our friend Josh and his girlfriend at the time, Anna, guess what?

8:05

They pulled out in the middle of a layover their yoga mat and did yoga in the terminal.

That is no joke.

They for sure did do that.

So if you’re a serious Yogi or you wanna stretch, I mean just to do it for the stretching aspect is a great idea if you’re.

Religious, You can patron the Chapel space and get in touch with your more spiritual side.

8:26

Some airports even have showers.

And I think more airports need showers because if you have a really long layover, you could have also just come off a long flight and by the end of that, you need a shower.

You want to shower?

It would feel amazing and it really would help pass the time.

8:41

Yeah.

While you’re in there, do a face mask, some skin care routine, or if you’re getting ready to go out because you’re landing somewhere cool in the morning, do your makeup, hair for your final destination.

Another great way to kill the time is getting food and drink.

8:57

You know, airport food.

Sometimes it’s like whatever, but sometimes lots of airports have really good food selections or again, really good bars if drinking is your thing.

So be sure to check out what they have.

You can Google what food is in the airport, what restaurants, what bars.

9:15

If the airport is large enough, sometimes they have those interactive kiosk terminals where you can select, oh, I want food.

And it will tell you exactly where what is and how to get there.

So that’s a great way to kill some time too, is just go into one of the restaurants, even if you’re not really hungry, go in there for a soda, then hop to the next bar or restaurant, get another soda or an appetizer.

9:35

Do something.

But it is a great way to kill time and change the scene because I would wager to say sitting in the restaurant is better than just sitting in the regular terminal area with everybody else by the gate.

You.

Can also sit at the bar and make friends with the other people that are there.

9:50

There’s a lot of people who are there that by themselves or other groups of travel.

You can always make a friend at the bar, airport, always.

I remember sitting in the lounge in Denver.

I had like a 3 or 4 hour layover, made a BFF just sitting there chilling getting free drinks.

10:09

You guys still in touch to the stick?

No, it was just, it was just a lounge thing.

It served.

It served its purpose, didn’t it?

Killed that time.

Yes, it did.

A lot of airports now are offering the public free entertainment, so unlike being on your phone and watching something on Netflix, a lot of airports could have a live band or live pianist or some type of a musical performance in the airport.

10:34

I know in the Austin airport there are two stages where live music is played often.

I think that’s the only airport that I’ve noticed it in.

But you know what?

I could see it popping up in like places like Nashville, even where music’s very popular, I’ve seen.

10:50

A lot of pianos in airports and witnessed them being played and it is so peaceful.

Yeah, that is nice.

I’ve also noticed that more airports are putting in art installations or having more art on the walls.

There was an airport we recently went through and they had all of the different airline uniforms that they’ve had over the years for particular airlines, so you can see how they’ve changed with the times.

11:16

That was actually pretty cool.

I think that’s actually in Las Vegas when you’re going from 1 terminal to the next.

They have that in Las Vegas, but they have little exhibits like that.

And then they have actual unique art that’s part of the airport, not just, oh, hanging up on the wall.

If you pay attention at the Denver airport, if you’re pre security, you know, before you go to the gates, they do have some interesting art on those walls too.

11:40

And of course, to get from terminal to terminal in Denver, they do have the underground train.

When you come up from the train, each one of the terminals has this unique feature or art installation that’s in that foyer area.

So, and that’s just one airport in particular.

11:55

Lots of them have it of course.

So one thing to do is just see if there’s any unique art to go ahead and look at or anything unique about that airport.

We have not been there yet, but I am so excited for our time in Singapore.

Singapore is known to be one of the best and prettiest airports with lots of unique things too.

12:15

Like going to the airport early is an attraction that people do just to see everything that they have now.

Most places in the world are not like that, but you still have good stuff that you could do and lots of other airports too by checking out their art and unique features.

Yeah, I was actually just researching things to do in the Singapore airport and they have a waterfall, They have like 3 different gardens.

12:37

There’s even like a slide to get to your gate and some areas.

Lots of cool things.

How fun.

Don’t they have a butterfly exhibit too?

Yeah.

It’s a butterfly garden.

I looked into it and I think we’re gonna do it there.

You go, I’m excited.

So great way to kill some time is check out the unique feature that the airports have.

12:55

And again, not all of them have cool stuff, but if they do, check it out.

Some airports have, in addition to those Minute Suites, they’ll have different massage options.

Massage chairs are really common to see in a lot of airports where you pay at the chair and it kind of vibrates and stuff.

13:12

But they have more glammed up massage options at a lot of airports now.

Yeah.

I.

Think this would be great, especially if you didn’t sleep well on your last flight and it was a long one, or you’re uncomfortable or coming back from vacation and you’re sore for whatever reason.

Get a nice little massage, relax a little bit.

13:29

Recently we saw that Jamal’s Priority pass had a massage lounger for 30 minutes.

We talked about it in a previous episode where it might have spent a little too much time on his booty, but we still enjoyed it.

Too much time on the booty and not enough on the back.

13:44

But yes, so with Priority Pass, you know, we talked about that earlier with the lounges.

You get so much more than lounges.

Some of them will give you those free minute suites that we talked about.

Second, to stay in there and then of course massages in those chairs specific locations.

14:02

But again, if you don’t have the priority pass or even if you do and it’s not offered or available in that airport, when you see those massagers, you can still pay for them out of your pocket.

And again, if you are in a really long layover, great way to kill time, whether it be free or paid.

There’s even nail salons and some of the airports, so if you didn’t have time to get your nails done before the trip, you can get it done right there.

14:24

Or if yeah, you have that long layover, might as well do it.

I just wished maybe there is and I haven’t looked into it yet.

But the ability to make a reservation, because that’s always my hesitation with those nail salons is what if they can’t get me in that I really didn’t do my nails, that I’m screwed for this trip.

14:41

But if I could solidify a reservation, oh all day.

Way to habit stuck.

You should propose is that to the the salons in the airport make a reservation system.

You know what, I might just go have a chat you.

Should you should message them because that is a good idea.

14:57

One of my favorite things to do around the airport to kill time is walk around window shop and people watch.

So by window shop.

Of course I mentioned earlier Brittany could buy more books when she said she finishes her book right away.

Tons of bookstores in there.

15:13

Tons of duty free if you happen to be flying internationally.

I love looking at duty free more often than not.

I won’t lie, I don’t buy anything from duty free, is not to say I haven’t before, but I need something really captivating to catch my eye.

But I always love looking at the shops and it’s a great way to kill time.

15:29

I like to go to the duty free and spray myself with perfume.

Yeah, you don’t want to smell bad if you’re sitting next to somebody on the plane, right?

Especially if it’s about to be a long flight.

You want to have that subtle little smell, nice smell to you.

You never know who it could be.

I hear a lot of people say they think it’s rude to wear perfume on a plane.

15:47

I disagree.

I like perfume it.

Just depends on how much you put on right?

If you bathe yourself in it, then yes, it is disrespectful.

If you put the subtle splash.

I’m with you Kim.

I’m with you on that one.

This is also a really good way to get your steps in shopping, going to souvenir shops, going through duty free.

16:04

Sometimes I just like to walk through the terminal just to get to stretch and like walk it out and get some steps in.

Because literally you were on a flight where you sat for hours, and then you’re probably getting on another flight where you’re going to sit for a few more hours.

So I like to get those steps in.

16:20

Sometimes I’ll just walk.

I’m like, what’s down here, what restaurants, what stores?

And I know I have time to kill and I just walk, take a walk.

That’s the best thing that you can do.

And the bonus with that is the people watching aspect.

Yes, you can just people watch from your chair too.

But let’s not kid ourselves.

16:35

I think everybody deep down likes to people watch and you will find no shortage of people to watch in an airport and something I’m sure that will captivate your eye or entertain you.

So I do like taking those airport strolls.

We all have a little voyeurism in us.

16:52

I would say so.

So we talked a lot about what you can do inside the airport.

There are a couple of situations where if your layover is long enough, you might want to leave the airport.

I would say if it’s eight hours, it’s going to be a yes, leave the airport.

17:07

But what do you guys think time wise?

I would agree with that. 8 hours is probably it.

Anything shorter you don’t know if you leave depends on how far the airport is from city center, how long it takes to get from the airport to where you want to go and back right?

So I feel like 8 hours is a good for sure.

17:24

Yes, let’s leave.

But of course it could be different depending on the location that you’re at.

But yes.

Yeah, I would have to agree.

I mean, there’s very rare where you have to get to the airport 3 hours before your flight.

I mean, I know sometimes you do, but not all the time.

And if the airport has a luggage storage option and you can stash your bag and go quickly into the city, I would absolutely do that and recommend doing that.

17:50

And Kim, you’ve actually done something like that before where you’ve taken advantage of a very long layover.

Well, I’ve.

Done it a bunch of times when I had AI think it was like a six hour layover in Miami.

I actually had a friend pick me up and we hung out for a little bit, but that was a very convenient situation.

18:06

I have had longer layovers in London and Denmark where they were maybe 18 hours or maybe even 24 hours.

And so that’s definitely time where you leave the airport.

Don’t just go do an activity, but maybe actually stay the night in the city and enjoy it in the evenings.

18:26

Do what you can.

Get up early in the morning, try to see some stuff before you head back.

Bonus trips, Even if you have a few hours, you can really maximize your time.

Yeah, and your examples were a little, I don’t want to say extreme right, but much longer layovers than just a simple, like 8 to 10.

18:43

Even at 8:00 to 10:00.

Maybe you would get a hotel outside of the airport, explore a little bit.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But for sure what you described for Denmark and London, you would absolutely want to get out of the airport.

But if it happens to be longer, look into getting a hotel.

19:00

Some airports even have hotels attached to them.

Like you don’t even have to leave the airport.

Here’s a hotel.

Or if you have to leave the airport, get a hotel that’s very, very close so it’s very convenient for you to get back because it’s going to be a lot more comfortable having your own room.

19:16

Just tough it up and pay.

I mean, that’s just basic common sense.

I feel like if it happens to be that long to just be relaxed and enjoy yourself and get some sleep in a more intimate and private setting to refresh yourself.

I would also be interested in seeing what a sleeping pod situation in the airport would look like, and really I would want to try it just for the experience.

19:39

I would totally try it.

Yeah, why not?

If it’s there and you’re tired and want to take a little nap, get it in.

See if it works out for others trips in the future.

All right, squatty’s, with this in mind, you are definitely going to not just survive your long layover, but actually enjoy it to the fullest.

19:56

Thank you so much for tuning in to this week’s Just The Tip.

Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on all the socials at Travel Squad Podcast.

And have fun traveling this weekend.