Stuck in airport? Things to do while you’re lounging

Traveling by plane is a relatively frequent experience for the passionate travelers. After all, there’s no better, faster way to reach far-off lands. And wherever you fly, you will see airports, the bookends of any air trip. You might even have to spend some time inside them, waiting for the next flight. So here are several things you can do while you’re lounging at the airport!

Spend Your Last Foreign Currency

If you’re flying back home from a holiday on the foreign shores, chances are you still have some foreign money. You can probably take the paper currency home with you. Banks usually don’t mind exchanging it. However, those coins are as good as dead.

So being at the airport is your last, best chance to spend the money. Otherwise, you won’t get the chance to use them any time soon. Buy some expensive fridge magnets, get a giant Toblerone, maybe visit an airport bar. In any case, a goal of going on holiday is not to save money but to have fun. Make sure you’re doing that even if you’re at the airport.

Make Use Of That Airport Wi-Fi

Airports now almost-universally provide wi-fi. So even if it’s limited, you should make the best use of it. Leaving for a trip? Make some last minute checks to see if everything’s in order. Read restaurant reviews for spots around your hotel. Post many statuses and selfies to make people back at work jealous. Go wild.

If you’re going back – or just waiting on a layover – use this time to go through the pictures you have taken and post them online. Those memories are not getting any fresher, so you’re not getting a better opportunity to give those photos justice. You can also you that free time to read an article or two that you had been putting off. We both know that at least a few of them exist – so, make your airport stay into an educational opportunity.

And if the wait happened because the airline messed up – your flight was delayed or canceled, or you were booted out due to overbooking – you can use airport Wi-Fi to claim compensation. You can do it yourself, or via a flight compensation company like Skycop that takes care of the entire process for a percentage of the comp amount.

Clean Out Your Wallet and Your Phone

On the other hand, you can take the time to do some irregular clean up. Take a look at your wallet. You probably have expired coupons, non-functional loyalty cards, and other consumerist detritus. Throw them out! You should also be on the lookout for foreign currency on your way out – as we mentioned previously, this is your last chance to spend any leftover coins. Treat yourself to something nice!

And if your phone isn’t dead yet (you did pack a charger, didn’t you?), you should clean it up, too. Delete apps that you’re not using. Go through your pictures and see which ones can be rid of to clean space. Check your downloads folder – it’s bound to have collected some trash.

Check Out If The Airport Has Fun Stuff To Do

Airports are great for routing passengers, handling cargo and taking care of the airplanes. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s just a collection of huts for storing people and stuff. No, airports are now bustling with cafes, duty-free shops and other places of activity. That’s why you should check out if the airport has any special attractions for visitors.

For example, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has the Rijksmuseum (the national museum) annex. It’s a place where you can see some of the great Dutch art pieces as well as read Dutch literature.

And if you find yourself at Changi Airport in Singapore, you can easily find a children’s playground, an arts and crafts workshop, free movies playing in three screening rooms and as well as an entertainment area with free video games. There’s even a four-story-height slide for those wanting to please their inner child, too!

Go To The (Airport) Gym

Going down a slide isn’t much of a sport, and neither is sitting on a plane. That’s why your body might be asking for exercise. Why not burn some calories and flex some muscle at a gym? Many airports have one these days and if you have the time, you can probably afford to sweat a little. Of course, it pays to have the right clothing for the occasion.

If there’s no gym, you can take a walk – airports are usually huge – or use your carry-on as to carry out some on-the-spot weight-lifting. After all, even if you crammed it full, you can take some stuff out to adjust the weight.

Take Up Plane Spotting

Airports usually have great big windows overlooking the runways, and thus you can see planes come and go, as well as lounge about. Thus you are offered the perfect opportunity to take up plane spotting. After all, you’re spending so much time flying, so why not become passionate about the machines that make it possible? Try to tell apart the Boeings and Airbuses. See if you can tell which plane is an Airbus A320 and which is an A319. Be the first of your friends to catalog all of the Boeing 737NGs or spot a 737 MAX or even the rare Embraer!