How to survive a long layover at the airport

A 4-8 hour layover doesn't have to be miserable. Here's how experienced travelers handle them:

Priority Pass lounges: If you have a credit card with lounge access (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, many airline cards), use it. Free food, drinks, wifi, comfortable seating, showers at some locations. A 5-hour layover in a lounge is a completely different experience than 5 hours at a gate.

Leave the airport: If your layover is 4+ hours and you don't need to clear security again (domestic-to-domestic at the same terminal), consider leaving. Many hub airports are near downtowns — ORD to Chicago Loop is 45 minutes on the Blue Line ($2.50), DCA to DC is 15 minutes on Metro, SFO to San Francisco is 30 minutes on BART. Just leave 2+ hours before your next flight.

Airport-specific amenities: Many large airports have things most travelers walk past. ATL has a spa and an interfaith chapel. SFO has an aviation museum. DEN has a massive outdoor terrace. MSP has a mall connected to the terminal. Look these up before you go.

Sleep strategy: Download offline content before your first flight. Bring a packable neck pillow. If you're in an international terminal, the seats near the gates at the end of concourses are usually emptiest. Some airports (ATL, DFW, ORD) have paid nap pods or microhotels inside security.

The biggest mistake: not eating a real meal. Airport food has gotten much better at major hubs. Treat the layover as a forced dinner break rather than something to endure.