Have you ever looked at your travel itinerary and been dismayed to find you will have a long layover? While airlines have non-stop flights to and from major destinations, often to find the best deal or to get somewhere a little obscure, you’ll have to change planes.  This may mean spending anywhere from 1 to 9 hours stranded in an unfamiliar airport.

Instead of buying out the newsstand, here are ten ways to make the most of your time between flights.

Get to Know the Airport

You may be surprised to discover that most airports have hospital as well as wedding and chapel facilities. Don’t be afraid to explore different areas and engage in the free services.   

Invest in something Decent to Eat

If all your body has for energy is a couple of Mars bars and a can of Pringles, you’re bound to be sluggish and irritated as you wait for your next flight.  Long stretches of sitting punctuated by trips to the junk food emporium will not only add pounds, but will make the time seem to move like a snail.  Find a restaurant where you order from a menu and have a server that doesn’t also sell newspapers.  By engaging in an experience where you’re accustomed to waiting for your food, you’ll not only carry on better nutritious habits, but you won’t realize you just burned an hour of your layover time. 

Stow your Luggage

Traveling light?  Stick a couple of coins into a locker and you can make sure your backpack won’t knock the souvenir shot glasses off the shelf behind you. If you have more significant amounts of luggage, there are often services where, for several dollars, your bags will be kept in a secure location until you come back to collect them.  This is probably one of those services you will have to ask about, but there is amazing freedom in knowing your luggage is safe and you don’t have to keep an eye on it.      

Even if you won’t be leaving the airport, stowing your luggage is especially important if you are traveling alone.  Think about trying to fit two weeks worth bags into a tiny bathroom stall. It may cost a few extra bucks, but you’ll appreciate every second.

Pay-as-you-stay Lounges

International airports are the most prepared for travelers with long layovers. Airports in cities like Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo are specially equipped to make your layover the most comfortable.  For around $10-20, you can spend your layover in a first class style lounge, even if you have a coach ticket.  You can rest, watch TV, order drinks and food, all in a safe, comfortable environment.  Many airport lounges even offer private rooms or sleeping pods for you to catch a little sleep after the red-eye.

Wireless Internet

Wireless Internet has become extremely common in airports of all sizes.  Fees are charged either by the minute, hour, or day but are well worth the money.  Instead of reading tabloids, you can catch up on work, email, or even shop.  Business travelers with laptops are usually the people most likely to take advantage of this service but airports are starting to cater to the casual traveler as well.  In Los Angeles International Airport, kiosks are intermingled with seating in the restaurant areas.  You can log on using one of their terminals to access the Internet.  

Make a Friend

At some point, almost everyone in the western world will pass through an airport.  When you travel, you’ll come in contact with people from all walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds.  Instead of droning out to your headphones, try striking up a conversation with the person waiting next to you.  Odds are they are just as bored as you are and even if you never speak again, you will have learned something about another person and kept occupied while sitting in the airport.

Look Outside

While most people think of airport exteriors as cold asphalt surfaces for smokers and people waiting to get picked up by friends or family, they can be just as interesting as the inside.  Dublin airport has a giant statue of a flying pig; perfect for getting your photo taken with or letting the kids climb around.

Mini-parks and interesting art have become de rigueur for airports. There are all sorts of things to see and do outside.  Don’t be afraid to step outside of the self-sustaining terminal and get a breath of fresh air.  You might be surprised—after hours of traveling, the smell of spring flowers or autumn rain could be all you need to get back in another plane.

Quick Tourism

If you have several hours (I’d say more than 5) your best option may be to leave the airport entirely.  In London, you can catch the Underground into the city centre for only a few pounds. You can wander around, grabbing fish and chips and a cup of tea.

Many large cities have bus tours where you can hop on and off to visit different sites.  Even if you never get off the bus, you’ll have the chance to see Times Square in New York, the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles and Buckingham Palace in London.  While the bus tour costs more than just walking around a city, if you’re not familiar with you’re surroundings it will save you a ton of time and effort so you can make sure you get back to the airport with plenty of time to catch your flight.

Books are Better

If it looks like your airport is tiny, still living in the stone age and absolutely isolated, here’s a bit of advice when scouting out the newsstand: books are better than magazine in the dollar to word count.  A magazine will be loaded with advertisements and photos and can often cost $4-6. In a 4 hour layover, you could flip through four different magazines, each time shelling out cash and getting very little in return.  A book, on the other hand, will keep you occupied for hours and is usually only around 2-3 times the cost.

If you only want light reading, check out the children’s section.  The Harry Potter books have more adult fans than children and are extremely engaging.  Other, similar books will not only entertain but also make the time fly by.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask

After reading all of these handy tips, you may not even need to use them.  Depending on your final destination, there may be an earlier flight than the one for which you are scheduled.  Check with the ticket counter and the boarding areas for your airline.  Since 9/11, many airlines have changed their policy about free stand-by substitutions but it doesn’t hurt to ask.  Airlines are looking to keep their seats full and their customers happy.  Make sure you are polite and explain your situation clearly, showing boarding passes and all necessary identification. You may be on your way earlier than expected.

Layovers can be a pain and no one wants to waste time when they’re headed for a vacation or to see friends or family.  Instead of sulking during your stay in the airport, next time you travel try one of these tips. The time will move faster and you can even have a mini-vacation on the way to your vacation.