50 Things to do when you’re stuck at an airport – Part One

If you’re an avid traveler, you know what it’s like at the airport. You've checked in, dropped your baggage, gone through security, got your bearings and now you have one, two, three hours to kill. It would probably be considered rude to eavesdrop on the intense conversation happening in the seat behind you. So, what should you do?

YOGA – Catch up on your stretches and Downward Dog pose at Dallas Fort Worth’s terminal-based yoga studio.

PING-PONG – Ping-Pong tables are set up at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Airport.

BREATHE – Narita Airport, Japan, has its very own oxygen bar where you can get a quick oxygen fix.

VACCINATIONS – At many airports you can get a flu shot, a yellow fever vaccination or countless other shots for travel abroad. 

RUN A LAP – Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris should do the trick with its circular design in Terminal 1.

SWIM – A swimming pool and Jacuzzi are available to passengers at Singapore’s Changi Airport.

HEALTH CHECK – Teeth whitening, blood pressure testing and expert physicians are available at Incheon airport.

MEDITATE – Albuquerque and Raleigh-Durham in the U.S. offer meditation rooms for travelers.

FLASH MOB – Vancouver, Dubai and Atlanta have all played host to flash mob events.

FUNNY NAMES – Look for amusing destination names on the departure boards. Batman, Moron and Mafia are all real airport names.

A DINOSAUR – A 10 foot tall, 31 foot long Yangchuanosaurus greets at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

ART – London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 has its very own art gallery.

PEOPLE – In terms of international flights, the top 10 busiest airports handle more than 400 million passengers each year.

A FILM – You can rent a movie for your laptop from a range of kiosks at airports across the U.S.

GOLLUM – A 42 foot statue of Gollum from Lord of the Rings sits catching fish in Wellington Airport.

THE CITY – Singapore, Utah and Istanbul airports all offer free trips into town to see the sights if youre a passenger in transit.

THE STARS – Tokyo’s Haneda Airport boasts its own planetarium.

FISH – Vancouver Airport has an aquarium and a jellyfish exhibit.

BANNED ITEMS – Airports sometimes display all of the items confiscated from travelers.

A GHOST – Manchester Airport in the U.K. is rumoured to be haunted.

LOUNGE AROUND – Qatar’s lounge in Doha has a full spa for you to enjoy.

PRAY – Many airports have a prayer room, but Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport has a mosque capable of holding 2,000 worshipers.

SLEEP – Take advantage of the specially designed “sleeping chairs” in Seoul, Singapore or Amsterdam.

PAMPERED PETS – Japan’s Narita Airport has a hotel for your beloved furry friends. It also has a vet clinic and a grooming salon.

NATURE – Pay a visit to the rain forest without leaving the airport. A section of jungle has been transplanted into Kuala Lumpur Airport.

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Written By: Christine Romans