The Art of Sleeping in Airports

When you are travelling, it is quite common to find yourself stuck in an airport for several hours in the middle of the night. There is only so much wandering around, looking at closed up stores that you can do and airport hotels are pretty expensive. So what are the alternatives? Your best option is to sleep right there in the airport!

Depending on the airport, you might have some very comfy areas to sleep, or you may find yourself trying to get comfortable on hard plastic seats with armrests that don't let you stretch out! There is a bit of an art to sleeping in the airport and it requires planning ahead.

Do some research before you go. Find out what you can about the airport you will be sleeping in. It is a good idea to learn where the best seating areas are (i.e. ones with padding!) and if there are any carpeted areas. Carpeting makes a decent bed if you can't get a padded bench.

Try to find an area that is both comfortable and quiet. This will help you sleep better. An out of the way corner with a bench can be just the thing! If you bring along an inflatable air mattress, you don't need padded seats or even a proper carpet! There are inflatable mattresses now that fold up to next to nothing and expand to a 2/3 body length. Since it doesn't matter if your feet are on the floor, this is a great option for those who don't have much space in their bags.

An inflatable pillow can be handy as well, although you can also use a rolled up jacket to keep your head elevated. Folded clothing tends to be rather hard, in my experience, though. Don't forget an alarm clock in case you get too comfy, you don't want to miss your flight!

A light blanket is a good idea as well, to keep you warm and protect your butt from spying eyes! Choose something that can be folded up to a very small bundle. If you know you'll be cold, bring an ultra light thermal blanket (perfect for staying the night in a chilly Canadian airport in December).

Now, not all airports are pleased to have someone sleeping on the floor, all fitted out with the proper gear. You might end up being woken up and told that you can't sleep there. This is where it comes in handy to know about hidden spaces. Go to a wing of the airport that is completely or extremely dead (the area for local flights should be pretty dead at night) and find yourself a corner or a small, relatively hidden space to sleep in. Good areas include behind the divider walls for stairwells, on the floor, hidden behind a row of chairs, etc. If there is a single bathroom with a lockable door, these are good places, too!

Sleeping in airports isn't necessarily fun, but if you plan ahead and know what you're doing, it isn't that unpleasant, either.