Stopovers can be taxing on your nerves and make you feel as if you’re never going to get to your final destination. Make the most of your between-flight time and avoid boredom with our tips on how to pass time during stopover.
Get moving
If you find yourself with a few hours (or more) to kill between flights, one of the best things you can do to keep busy, is to get moving. You’ll feel less sluggish, and you can work off some of the frustration of being stuck at an airport. You can burn some between-flight calories by taking brisk walks around the airport or hit the gym. Many airports have fitness centres of varying sizes for passengers, including Chicago O’Hare, Munich Airport, Dubai International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport and then some.
Get a spa treatment
In addition to gyms, many airports offer spa services like massages and manicures that can make for a relaxing way to pass some time during a stopover. XpresSpa has more than 50 locations in 22 major airports across US and offer massages, nail care, skin care and waxing. Be Relax has spas in several U.S. airports, as well as airports in France, Germany, Italy and UK. They offer massages, oxygen and aromatherapy, face care, skin care, waxing and hair care.
Go sightseeing
Depending on how long your stopover is, and depending on transfer time from and to the airport, it might be worth leaving to do some sightseeing. Grab a map from an information kiosk and take a shuttle or public transportation into the town to explore. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back to the airport so you don’t miss your flight.
Pay for lounge access
Particularly long stopovers can be tough to handle when you’re tired or just need a break from the throngs of people around you. If that’s the case, you can pay for day use at many of the airport lounges. Perks at each lounge vary, but you can expect comfortable seating, showers, free Wi-Fi, snacks, drinks and newspapers.
Window shop
Most of the airports have duty free stores and souvenir shops. Pass some of your time between flights, by doing some window shopping. The bigger the airport, the better the array of shops, so depending on where you are, you might be able to spend a good chunk of time browsing. Some of the best airports for shopping include London Heathrow Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Frankfurt Airport and Vancouver International Airport.
People watch
Airports are one of the best places to people watch since there are so many people going through them at any given time. Find a comfortable spot (maybe even on a bar stool), and spend some time observing all the different types of people who pass you. If you’re feeling creative, play a game guessing where they’re going.
Have a drink
It’s never a good idea to get tipsy before a flight, but you can spend some time with a good book or magazine accompanied by a glass of beer or delicious cocktail at an airport bar. Many major airports now have wine bars and sophisticated restaurants with comfortable seats.
Lead photo: N i c o l a
