Delayed flights are no fun, especially when you're eager to reach your destination. Over 30,000 flights are delayed daily worldwide (7,000 to 9,000 in the U.S., according to FlightAware), so you're not alone in this frustration. While waiting at the airport can feel tedious, there are ways to make the most of this shared experience.
Does this sound familiar? Do you want to avoid the boredom of flight delays and use your time productively? You're not alone. Don't worry; we've got you covered with these tips to help you stay occupied during airport waits so you won't just sit there bored.
These tips can help you occupy yourself during airport waiting times. They offer a variety of activities so you won't just sit there bored. Whether you're in the mood for retail therapy, a relaxing massage, a stimulating game, or a good book, there's something for everyone to make the most of your wait.
Table of Contents
How To Enjoy Flight Delays
Go Shopping
Now, you don't have to buy anything, but you can embark on a shopping tour of all the retail units in the airport and discover what they have on offer. If you're with a group, you can turn it into a scavenger hunt and see what unique items you can find (with minimal disruption to other passengers). But strolling around the shopping areas can be an exciting way to pass the time, even if you're just window shopping.
Check Out the Amenities
Different airports offer various amenities. For instance, Changi Airport in Singapore, a 12-time winner of the best airport in the world, will provide much more luxurious amenities than a smaller regional airport. Exploring these amenities can make your wait more enjoyable. You might discover a salon or a spa. You could find a massage parlor or even a sleeping section to get some R&R before your flight.
Play Games
Downloading games to your phone or tablet can help you kill some time before boarding. There are thousands of mobile games you can download to your devices to help you occupy yourself and avoid the never-ending boredom that comes with flight delays.
Why not play a game of online chess? You can also download popular games like Candy Crush, Minecraft, Sims, Sudoku, or any other game that suits your fancy. The more it captures your imagination and entices you to rack up those digital hours, the faster your wait will go, and you'll be on the flight before you know it.
People Watch
This isn't everyone's cup of tea, but taking some time out to watch people can be a fun activity if you like that kind of thing. If you're with others, why not make it a game by guessing who does what job for all vision, where people are going, or what their backstory is? Just remember to respect others' privacy and not make them feel uncomfortable.
Read a Book
Another excellent idea is to pick up a book from one of the shops at the terminal and find a quiet spot to read without any interruptions. Alternatively, you can download a book to your device if you prefer. Reading can be a great way to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of the airport. If you have a delay, you can finish a book before you board the flight, which can also keep you occupied during your flight.
Rest
Now is the perfect time to do absolutely nothing. Stop, rest, relax, and enjoy this unexpected downtime, even if you have things to do and places to be. Many airports offer paid sleeping or rest areas where you can get quality sleep, relax, and escape the crowds for a while. If these are not available, you can find a quiet corner of the airport to settle down and catch some sleep or relax before your flight departs.
Get Ahead
It's not exactly most people's idea of fun, but using this time productively—especially if you're on a business trip—can help you reduce some of your workload that you were planning on doing on the plane or that you need to catch up on.
While it's not exactly fun, it is practical. If you're traveling for business, it can be a blessing in disguise, giving you much-needed time to get organized or ahead before landing.
Watch a Movie or Box Set
Are you stuck for ways to spend your delayed flight waiting time? Crack open that laptop, get your tablet out, and download or stream a movie or box set.
Depending on the time you have to waste, you can finally watch that show on your to-watch list, check out the latest viral show or film everyone is talking about, or indulge in a guilty pleasure. Getting lost in a movie or a TV show is the perfect way to escape the business of an airport and avoid clock-watching until it's your time to take off.
Get Into a Lounge
Airport lounges offer a secluded space to relax and enjoy food and drinks away from the general crowd. To gain entry into a lounge, you might need to join a loyalty or rewards program or pay a fee for lounges associated with the airport only, which do not have a dedicated customer base.
But if you can gain entry, you can typically find a range of food, drinks, and amenities not on offer to other passengers, so you can relax and wait for your flight in style instead of those uncomfortable airport chairs that will no doubt already be accommodating at least one sleeping passenger.
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This story is brought to you in partnership with 24/7 Games LLC.
Dan says
Proof read this especially the sentence about shut eye!
Dave Lee says
Thanks for catching that, I've fixed it. I do proofread every story manually and using the Grammarly app, but obviously I missed that mistake.
Matt says
Seem there are too many things to do if you don't want to sit with the boredom. Watching people is my preferred way to past the time. Not for entertainment though. But to study human behavior.