Most of us hate it when we realise that our flight involves a stopover in an airport. The thought of sitting around in a loud, busy airport for hours before getting on the connecting flight can be enough to deflate even the keenest traveller.
Yet, there are some creative ways of making the most of this time that you might not have thought of before now.
Enjoy People Watching
Airports are fantastic places for just sitting back and watching the world go by. They tend to be full of constant movement, with people from all over the world rushing back and forward.
If you can get a seat with a good view then you will get a lot of fun out of just keeping an eye on what goes on around you. The time might fly past far more quickly than you had feared it would, especially if you do it from a bar or restaurant where you can enjoy a drink or something to eat.
Get Some Exercise
If you are making a stopover between long haul flights then getting the blood flowing around your body again is very important. However, even if it is between two short flights you will feel better after some exercise.
Some airports have excellent gyms or yoga rooms in them that you can use. Otherwise, just walking around the place and stretching your legs can help to make the most of this time while doing something more interesting than sitting around.
Use Your Laptop
Your laptop could come in incredibly useful in a lengthy airport stopover, especially if you are sitting around in an airport with free Wi-Fi. There are obviously tons of things that you can do on your laptop to kill a few hours, from checking out your social media updates to reading the latest news and planning the rest of your trip. Also, check out all the cool Snapchat ads that top Snapchat marketing agencies have come up with!
You could also decide to play some online games to make the time pass more enjoyably. The online gaming and betting industry has introduced some interesting innovations in recent times and you can go online to see what games could liven up your wait.
Make sure to also check out those Facebook ads that always pop-up, you might score a great deal. And who doesn’t love shopping?
Get Out of the Airport
Is there any reason for you to even stay in the airport for the full period of the stopover? If you have several hours to kill then it might be possible to hop in a taxi and do some sightseeing.
How reasonable it is to do this probably depends upon how far away the airport is from the most interesting sights, as well as how much time you have spare. Therefore, a bit of research in advance will let you see whether it is worth considering.
Go for a Sleep
If you find it really difficult to sleep on flights then you are probably going to be very tired by the time you reach your stopover, with the prospect of another flight coming up after that. Getting to sleep in an airport isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do, but some have lounges that you might be able to settle down in.
It is also worth bearing in mind that some airlines offer free hotel rooms for passengers facing a long stopover. Getting a good rest in a comfortable bed for a few hours might not be as exciting as some of the other options here, but it will leave you feeling a lot better about the rest of the trip.
