Waking up early to begin a vacation is both exciting and exhausting at the same time. It might still be dark out when you get out of bed so you give yourself enough time to pack up those last few items and get through airport security to make your flight.
Through groggy eyes and yawns you find your way through security and make it to the boarding area a good hour before the boarding time. It is only when you take your seat and start to wait that you realize your flight has been delayed for at least two hours.
Flight delays are a reality that many travelers face. They are not enjoyable, and definitely not the chosen start or end of a great vacation.
To avoid boring, sometimes agonizing hours waiting in the airport, it is a great idea to plan ahead just in case you find yourself with a delayed flight.
Especially when traveling with young children, it is an absolute must to have plenty of things to keep them busy!
Make the most out of a delayed flight with any of these underrated ways to pass the time in an airport.
Work on a Puzzle Book
Traveling light is important, so board games are most likely out of the question. A much more portable and equally as fun option is to bring a puzzle book!
Puzzle books are filled with brain teasers, mazes, and games that make you think that will help time pass quickly. All you need is a pencil to fill in the answers and you’ll be all set.
Some books are dedicated to specific types of brain games, such as Sudoku or crossword puzzles, while others include all different ways to keep your mind busy.
Bring a puzzle book for the whole family and see who can complete the most puzzle before the flight! You can have some friendly competition, pass the hours, and work those brain muscles all at the same time.
Online Gambling on Your Phone
If you look around the airport, it is unlikely to find someone waiting without a cell phone in their hand or on their lap. Make use of these nifty portable devices to keep yourself occupied while waiting around.
A fun use of a mobile phone that could even win you some money while you wait is downloading and playing an online gambling app. You can even play on your mobile browser of choice if you don’t want to download the app to your phone.
Online gambling is a newer trend that many players love. It is so easy to log in and get playing, whether you love spinning slots or higher-stakes poker games.
If you are new to the online gambling world, a website like Online Casino Gems can help you find the best casino to play in. They are not all made equally, so it is worth finding the app or website that has some of the best player bonuses.
Turn your flight delay into adrenaline-filled excitement to help the wait fly by. Bet a little bit of cash and win real money while you wait.
Read a Good Book
With the hustle and bustle of daily life, it isn’t always easy to find time to kick up your feet with a good book.
An unexpected wait could be the perfect opportunity to crack open that book you’ve always wanted to read!
Vacations are the best time to catch up on reading because of all the relaxing and waiting. A flight delay will give you a good amount of time to enjoy a thriller, a romance, or a mystery. You won’t be in a rush to put the book down!
Even if you don’t finish during the delay, you can continue during the plane ride itself. Books are the go-to for keeping yourself busy during the most unexciting times.
Make a Plan for Your Trip
If your flight gets delayed before you start the vacation, it can really be a downer. That is definitely not the way to kick off an awesome trip you’ve been looking forward to.
A delayed flight could be a blessing in disguise for some travelers. Pre-vacation life can get busy, so it might be tough to plan everything you want to do before heading to the airport.
The All About Us blog knows how much work goes into planning a trip. Waiting at the airport could just be the perfect opportunity to do some research about things to do once you land.
It might be a good idea to make a grocery list of meals for the week, find new places to explore and day trips to take, and do some research about restaurants in the area to visit.
Going in with a plan will make any trip flow smoothly, and a few hours waiting in an airport could make the perfect time to come up with one.
Play Card Games
Board games are hard to travel with, but a deck or two of cards can easily fit inside a carry-on.
If you are traveling with your family, bring games like Uno or Go Fish. Even if you are traveling alone, a plain deck of cards could make for a great game of Solitaire.
This could also give you the chance to make new friends. See if other travelers are sitting and waiting and need something to do and want to join you in a game.
Cards make the perfect pastime because there are so many games to play while you wait.
Binge Watch a Show on Your Favorite Streaming App
If you don’t want to bring along anything extra in your bag, you can always use your phone, laptop, or tablet to keep you occupied.
You could catch up on work, but that’s no fun. Something more exciting is to finally watch the show you’ve been dying to see.
Since you’ll probably have a bit of time, you could easily get through a few episodes of any show. Just make sure to bring headphones and a charger!
Don’t let a flight delay put a damper on your travel plans. Make the waiting time more fun with any of these options that can kill time easily.
Sometimes, flights delays are becoming to anxious. But, these ideas to be productive in these delays are worth trying.
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