101 Things To Do While Waiting For A Flight

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If you’re like me, you’re waiting at the airport at least two to three hours prior to the flight. This means, you have some time to kill before you board the plane. So what are some of the things to do while waiting for a flight?

Depending on the size, there are MANY things you can do while waiting at an airport. Large airports are my favourite. With smaller airports, you may need to be a bit more creative.

And of course, when your flight is delayed that wait time can really stretch into hours. So what can you do while waiting for a flight?

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101 Things To Do While Waiting For A Flight

I asked some of my Facebook and Twitter followers what they did while waiting at the airport. It seems almost everybody enjoys a meal or snack before a flight. Reading is also up there. And having a drink of Scotch whisky is good for some also.

Since I’m always waiting at the airport a few hours before a flight, I’ve come up with many different activities that you can do. Let’s hope these can help alleviate the boredom.

There might be something in this long list here that will keep you entertained while waiting at the airport or at least feeling like time is passing by faster.

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General Things To Do While Waiting For A Flight

• Get a massage or aromatherapy treatment.
• Enjoy a manicure or pedicure.
• Get your shoes shined!
• Have a blow out at the hair salon (if there’s one at your airport).
• Try an unusual or new cocktail or wine at the airport bar.
• Take photos of cool art installments, planes or architecture.
• Give yourself a photo challenge: attempt to take photos of a certain number of planes or of luggage in a weird funky colour.
• Take advantage of the airport lounges – splurge to enjoy some of the free amenities.
• Check out the amenities at the airport.
• Stop at the kiosks to see if there’s anything that will make a good birthday or Holiday gift.
• Walk from one end of the airport to the other.
• If you’re at a small airport do laps around.
• If seated, do leg and ankle exercises.
• Take a walk to the farthest bathroom you can find.
• Walk around, counting how many planes are ready to board passengers.
• Check out the different planes at the terminal.
• Eat a meal or snack.
• Splurge and enjoy a nice meal at one of the airport’s fine(r) restaurants.

• Have a drink (or two) at the airport bar.
• If you have a long wait, enjoy something sweet and a coffee (just have enough time for the coffee to filter through before the flight).
• Stock up on snacks.
• Get a couple large bottles of water: one for the flight and the other for your hotel room (they are a bit less expensive than those you get at the hotel).
• If you don’t have a book or activity book, grab one at the book/magazine stand or shop.
• Check out the cool stuff at Duty Free.
• Sample the perfumes at Duty Free to see which one you like best.

• Shop at the various shops. Splurge on a purchase for yourself (because you deserve it!)
• Play tourist and purchase a memorable chatchke.
• Shop for the weirdest tourist memorabilia you can find.
• Read for pleasure: put aside work stuff to catch up on a fiction book.
• Surf the web using the free WiFi – read news stories on apps such as Flipboard etc.
• Update your social media posts or spend time checking out what others are talking about.
• Take a few selfies.
• Work on your hobby (if you can do it from your phone/notebook).
• Use the free WiFi to Skype or video chat with friends and family.
• Catch up on work emails and get to-do lists updated.
• If travelling on business, go over notes to make sure you’re ready for meetings etc.
• Catch up with an old friend.
• People watch. Try to figure out their back story.
• Use people around you as inspiration for a short story.
• If you have a notebook and pen, try your hand at sketching people and things around you.
• Spruce up your makeup with a bathroom break (especially if you’ve had a tough time getting through long lineups at check-in and security).

• Take yet another walk around the airport to stretch your legs.
• Review your trip itinerary.
• If you don’t have a trip itinerary, read up on what you can see and do at your destination.
• Plan a new trip or vacation.
• Research ideas for a Staycation.
• Plan your next weekend day trip.
• Update your travel bucket list.
• Explore a hobby you’d like to take up: see if there are programs at your local community centre and register for them.
• Check your bag to ensure you have your charger and other electronics.
• Purchase any missing chargers or other electronics at the airport kiosks or store.

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Entertain Yourself: Things To Do While Waiting For A Flight

• Listen to an audiobook.
• Catch up on celebrity gossip on your phone (WeSmirch is a great aggregate site for celebrity news).
• Watch a movie on your smartphone or tablet.
• Listen to a podcast.
• Play games on your phone or tablet.
• Read up on tips for taking great photos and practice with your camera.
• Listen to music. Download a new album and take it all in.
• Chat with fellow travelers waiting in your boarding area.
• Eavesdrop – listen to what others are saying around you.
• Call your significant other to let them know you’re in waiting mode.
• If you’re a writer or blogger, get writing!
• Update your life bucket list.
• Create a wish list of what you’d do if you won a million dollars.
• If you have kids, plan your summer vacation activities.
• Flex your creative side and write a poem.
• Be funny and writer a limerick.
• Write a love letter to your sweetheart.
• Text up a storm with family and friends.
• Speaking of family, start googling your grandparents and great-grandparents to see about your family roots.
• Read funny jokes and when you laugh out loud, share them with others sitting beside you.
• Write about the interesting people you see and what they are doing and talking about.
• If your airport has a chapel, stop in for some spiritual time and a prayer for a good and safe flight.
• Check out any art exhibits or art that’s on display at your airport. Snap some photos for Instagram!
• Some larger airports, like the Toronto airport, have gyms – squeeze in a workout to reduce stress.
• Play a game: time how long it takes to walk from one end of the airport to the other.

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Be Active & Have Fun: Things To Do While Waiting For A Flight

• If you have an exercise tracker, see how far it is from one end to the other.
• Have fun going fast on the moving horizontal walkways.
• Get a head start on the Holidays – go window shopping for gift ideas.
• Be productive: create a to-do list of home improvements, clean up etc.
• Check out the makeup shops and see if you can get your face touched up.
• Key thing to do while waiting at the airport? Hydrate. Remember to drink water.
• See if you can get an upgraded seat.
• Charge up your phone, tablet or laptop.
• Find a quiet spot and do some stretches and yoga moves.

• Scroll through your photos and videos on your phone: delete ones that are taking up space.
• Explore Twitter: look through your feed or check out a trending hashtag.
• Watch funny videos on Facebook.
• Stream your favourite Netflix shows.
• Figure out the countries for the city destinations.
• If you’re travelling to a foreign country, learn some simple phrases.
• Try out the Buffer app to schedule tweets and posts while you are flying.
• Enjoy time perusing and pinning on Pinterest.
• Spend some time online shopping.
• Try out a new game app.
• Do some fancy editing on photos and videos that you may want to share out on social media.
• Play solo or partner card games.
• While people-watching, have fun trying to figure out what people do for a living.
• Doodle or if you have a mini-colouring book and a few pencil crayons, do some stress-relieving colouring.
• If you’re travelling with a partner, talk plans for a trip, home renovation, date night, or the trip itself.
• Nap or if you have more time, get a good sleep. Use your bag or jacket as a pillow and use your phone to set an alarm so you don’t miss your flight.
• Worst case scenario, watch CNN news (if it’s still on at the airport you’re at) or CBC news (if you’re in Canada) on the TV screen.

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Whatever You Do Make It A Relaxing Time

My number one piece of advice for anybody waiting for a flight is to chill out and take it easy. If you’re on vacation, let go of the daily worries and indulge in things you normally don’t have time to do. If you’re flying business… take a break if you can to take a deep breath and enjoy some “me time.”

What are my ultimately favourite things to do while waiting for a flight? Catching up on news, my Twitter feed and Facebook and reading while snacking. What I get and pack for a flight is for another future post. 

QUESTION: What would you add to this list of things to do while waiting for a flight? 

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