Sleeping in Airports
photo: feline_dacat
Long term travel and saving money aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, but depending on your situation, you may need to accept or adapt to being less comfortable than you would at home.
Something that’s definitely worth considering is sleeping at the airport from time to time. Let’s face it, there are a few good reasons for doing this only one of which is saving money.
Early flights are the worst! Any departure before 10AM is going to require waking up at some ungodly hour of the day just to get to the airport, get checked in, get through security and deal with any of the other hassles that crop up when traveling. Buses and other public transport don’t tend to operate in the early hours of the morning, meaning if you have an early flight, you’ll probably be forced to hand over your beer money to a surly cab driver for the privilege of being scared half to death by his crazy antics while being assaulted by his odor. That’s not something I’m prepared to deal with before my first gallon of coffee.
I know what you’re thinking: “Will I get any sleep at the airport?”. I’d say: probably not, but will you get any sleep in the dorm room you’re sharing with the snorer, the partier and the overly amorous couple? Especially considering you’re going to have to wake up at 4AM? I’m thinking it’s an equal trade, and in fact, depending on the airport, you may actually do pretty well.
My Favorite Airports to Sleep in
I’ve slept in my fair share of airports. In fact, once upon a time I set up housekeeping at London, Gatwick. I felt a little bit like Tom Hanks in “Terminal”. I wasn’t alone, I saw at least a half-dozen other people who spent multiple days at the airport…have you priced rooms in and around London?
- Geneva Switzerland GVA
- Santiago, Chile SCL
This Geneva airport is a great place to spend the night. Way in the back, right next to the security office is a green sofa that I was able to stretch out on. The airport closes at around 11PM, they turn out the lights and the annoying P.A. system announcements cease for the night. Security still roams the airport, and didn’t bother me at all. At the time, there were computers with free internet access, and in the morning espresso was available. Sweet!
On the second level, back near all of the offices, a dark and silent corner exists. I slept on the carpeted floor there. Security did wake me up, but they didn’t run me off. They just wanted to make sure that I knew to keep my bags secured. Housekeeping also woke me up, but just so they could vacuum where I was.
Other Great Airports to Sleep in:
- Singapore: I’ve never been to Singapore, but I’ve heard that it’s the absolute world’s best airport, not only for sleeping in, but just the best airport in general. Apparently there are reclining seats, free internet, an entertainment deck with movie theater and xbox/Playstation consoles.
- Seoul/Inchon Korea: clean, quiet and comfortable with free wi-fi.
- Hong-Kong: New, clean, big & safe with free wi-fi.
- Amsterdam: Recliners!
What experiences do you have with sleeping at the airport? Tell me about it in the comments!
