Touring - Sleeping in Airports

I find that the last night of my trip is usually spent in an airport.

I agree that Schiphol (http://sleepinginairports.com/europe/amsterdam.htm) is probably among the best. I've spend a couple of nights there (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=3Tzut&pic_id=263999&v=C&size=large), and almost slept well.

I've slept over at Gatwick several times and once there was no room, so I did the rail station. I was so welcome that the cleaner offered a wake-up call. He did it too, God bless him.

So give us the best and worst of airport camping.

I had an early flight out of Munich fifteen years ago and slept on a park bench on the grounds (in late June).

I have gotten stuck in: DCA, PIT, PHL, DTW, CLT, and TPA...so far:rolleyes: DCA I have connections at a local condo/apartment complex and can usually score a room. Ditto CLT and TPA. PIT sux, PHL I found a section under construction and slept on a pile of insulation. DTW IIRC I spent the night in a bar drinking:eek:

Aaron:)

Hmmm...
- Fiji airport sucks, hard floor and chairs
- Dubai - plush floor, obviously socially acceptable to lie down and have a nap, comfortable too
- Singapore - too humid, even with air con
- Frankfurt - good luck finding somewhere that dosen't stink of cigarette smoke

I recommend Dubai as an airport to sleep at on your next trip.

I PIT sux, PHL I found a section under construction and slept on a pile of insulation. DTW IIRC I spent the night in a bar drinking:eek:

Aaron:)

I disagree PIT is one of the better airports in the country and has been rated that way. As far as PHL a good airport but horrible when it comes to schedules. It is rated one of the worst in the country for canceled and late flights.


Sleeping in an area under construction is a great idea when it comes to your own security but I'm not sure how that would sit with the security staff, especially in today's world.

I slept in JFK one time before a sailing trip to the BVI. I wanted to catch the early flight out so I had to be at JFK the night before. I brought an air mattress and a blanket. I put my luggage on the seats and laid the air mattress on top of that. I was well off the floor, it wobbled a lot but it worked. I really did not sleep well. Turns out the early morning flight was canceled and I was put on the same flight out ogf NYC that I would have been on had I left PIT that morning.

I did see Kenny G walking through the airport that but I was just too shy to walk up and say "hey are you Kenny G"? :)


I had this million dollar idea to place hostel type rooms in airports, charge by the hour or night. Showers could also be provided for a charge. I understand some airports are doing that now.

The airport at Cairns was lovely. We flew in about 11 pm, and rather than hunting down a campground or hostel decided to spend the night in the airport. It was so nice there, we debated about just going to the airport rather than the hostel on our way back through a couple weeks later. This was in 2004.

I also spent the night in LAX. Not quite as nice ... the bench was hard. It was me and the night cleaners in an empty terminal.

I just checked and Jacksonville Florida has a USO that is available for active duty and veterans. I have spent to many nights in airports and will use the USO if possible. Nowadays with increased security and all, I would rather not spend my time at the airport. :)

I had this million dollar idea to place hostel type rooms in airports, charge by the hour or night. Showers could also be provided for a charge. I understand some airports are doing that now.

A number of airports do this. For example, I once used a little room in Honolulu airport just to take a shower on the way back from Australia.

Also, lots of airport hotels offer "day rooms" or "day rates." Sometimes if you need a room during the day -- say, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- you can get a room at an airport hotel for a sharply reduced rate.

And don't forget that if you're stuck at an airport for a number of hours often it's nicer to hang out in the lobby of the airport hotel than it is to hang out in the airport terminal itself.

STOKELL... how do the airport staff take to you hanging hammocks between the pillars? How do you stealth camp in an airport? :D :D

It's not only airports. For me it's been Hong Kong Airport, Bangkok Airport, LAX, Greyhound Vancouver, Melbourne Airport, LA Central Station, and a couple of country railways stations in Australia.

Bangkok was probably the best with a special area set aside with lounges and "sleep couches", although the latter weren't particularly practical.

I usually find the departure lounge for the next flight and doss down there. You don't have a passing parade of gawkers and you are never going to oversleep the flight. Plus I've already pass through the security gates.

The only place where security challenged was at LA Railway Station and all I had to have was a ticket for a train journey to justify my presence there.

I always make sure my sleeping bag is packed in my carry-on bag and the bag then becomes my pillow.

Though I'm sure no one here will ever be there I got stuck waiting 23hrs for a flight at MLI (Moline Illinois) and the security and TSA guards refused to let me sleep, I had to either be standing, sitting up (awake) or not in the airport. That was one of the worst nights I've ever had in an Airport.

I have had some slightly ok sleeping time at the Cincinnati airport, though my coffee when I woke up was like $6 or something.

STOKELL... how do the airport staff take to you hanging hammocks between the pillars? How do you stealth camp in an airport? :D :D

It's not only airports. For me it's been Hong Kong Airport, Bangkok Airport, LAX, Greyhound Vancouver, Melbourne Airport, LA Central Station, and a couple of country railways stations in Australia.

Bangkok was probably the best with a special area set aside with lounges and "sleep couches", although the latter weren't particularly practical.

I usually find the departure lounge for the next flight and doss down there. You don't have a passing parade of gawkers and you are never going to oversleep the flight. Plus I've already pass through the security gates.

The only place where security challenged was at LA Railway Station and all I had to have was a ticket for a train journey to justify my presence there.

I always make sure my sleeping bag is packed in my carry-on bag and the bag then becomes my pillow.

Always good!

I haven't been able to use my hammock in an airport, but I use the sleeping pad and sleeping bag and a good set of ear plugs though!

I arrived in Cardiff airport around 2:00 one morning and decided to bike out to see what was available. I followed the main road to town with no traffic. I was getting tired, so decided to kip my hammock in a wooded area near the main road. It turns out it was the middle of a main roundabout. When I woke up around 7:00, it took me a good 20 minutes to escape to the outside. I hate traffic lights, but there is always a break in traffic. The flow from roundabouts is constant.

But, I digress...

I also spent the night in Sacramento's train station ... that was a bit of an experience!

The best (http://www.sleepinginairports.net/) and worst.

I also spent the night in Sacramento's train station ... that was a bit of an experience!

Ohh,I'll bet it was!!!LOL!

I thought Dubai airport was too frantic to be conducive to sleeping, but maybe I was just wired. Had a terrible night at Toronto's Pearson (one of my least favourite airports ever)... the guy on the floor polishing machine kept racing up and down the terminal, and every time he passed, the floor would shake. Other than that, I've been pretty lucky to have avoided super-long stopovers.

Ever have to board a 6 AM train. And get to your departure point at 12 AM. Why bother to find a hotel, with a two hour wait time to board. Few airports at 4 am are all that noisy to prevent sleep. Just pull out your sleeping bag from your bike box and take a snooze.

I recommend Dubai as an airport to sleep at on your next trip.
The airport is the only thing in Dubai that I can recommend.

Years ago I had an overnight connection in the Salt Lake City bus station. I arrived around midnight, and had a bus out early in the morning. I should explain that adjacent to the terminal there was a Burger King. In fact, the Burger King had 2 entrances, 1 from the sidewalk, and another from inside the bus terminal. It was closed for the night. The station was clearing out after the last bus came and went and there were fewer than a dozen people left in the terminal and you could hear a pin drop. Somebody came around to check whether everyone remaining in the terminal had a ticket to depart in the morning. Everybody did except for one guy. When he was asked what he was doing there, without skipping a beat he replied, "I'm waiting for the Burger King to open." Everybody cracked up. They tossed him out.

Some years ago my wife bought one of the shorty Thermarest pads to take when we were traveling, but no camping. Whenever we were in an airport for an extended period of time she'd whip it out and nap on the floor.

We've done overnighters in Guam and Cairns. In Guam my wife let me use the Thermarest. Oh, it was wonderful. Slept like a baby!

Speedo

Narita may not be too bad. There are many recliner type big comfy chairs that are the electric massage chairs that the Japanese love so much. Just dont stick any coins in it and sleep away.

If you want some peace and quiet at an airport, just go to the prayer room. When i have hours to kill waiting for a connecting flight, I just sit and lean against the wall, and fall asleep, or meditate. If I am alone there (often am), I will even lie down.

Schipol airport in Amsterdam has this amazing area with these huge comfy padded lounge chairs - so easy to sleep in those!

the airport in milan is really nice. i had to sleep there a couple times on separate occasions. nobody bothers you to the point that i inflated my backpacking air pad and slept on it with my sleeping bag. pretty nice when it's pouring rain outside.

i've slept in tons of train stations, and even on the sidewalk when they kicked us out of the stations. only a few airports (they feel safer!) hard to get a good nights sleep but you kinda just close your eyes and try to protect your stuff as much as possible.

i've slept in tons of train stations, and even on the sidewalk when they kicked us out of the stations. only a few airports (they feel safer!) hard to get a good nights sleep but you kinda just close your eyes and try to protect your stuff as much as possible.

Have a look at this. (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=3Tzut&pic_id=168945&v=3x&size=large)

It is at Schiphol. I actually slept parallel to the bike on the floor. No one saw me. Yes it's a bit noisey, but that is why one wears earplugs. I used my camping mat and sleeping bag and had a decent sleep.