Traveler's Guide: Spending the Night in the Airport

It's every traveler's worst nightmare: You arrive in your layover city to find that your connecting flight has been canceled. No matter what the reason, from mechanical difficulties to weather conditions, last minute cancellations can catch even the most seasoned traveler off guard. Since it's impossible to predict when one of these worst case scenarios might happen, it's always best to ere on the side of caution when you're planning your next flight just in case your accommodations for the night end up being the cold floor of an airport far from home.

Alternative Plans

When you're booking your airline reservations, it's a good idea to be aware of alternative flights that will take you to your destination. Try to book early morning or mid-day flights and check the schedules of other airlines that service the airports that you will be in. If possible, avoid flights that arrive late in the evening since these are generally the flights that can leave you stranded overnight in the airport.

Watch the Weather

Any time you're planning a trip it's common to check the weather at your ultimate destination, but while you're at it make sure to check the forecast for any layover cities during your flight. This information can be immensely helpful when it comes to predicting any potential weather delays during your flight.

Pack Smart

Most travelers, especially frequent ones, tend to pack their carry on luggage light. Due to strict FAA guidelines which restrict the items that can be carried onboard an aircraft; many have resorted to limiting their carry on baggage to the barest of essentials in order to make it through security without the potential of a strip search. With this in mind, here are some critical elements that you will definitely want to make sure you have in your carry on luggage just in case you're caught in a worst case scenario.

A change of clothes. This seems to have been an old rule that has been somewhat forgotten, and even if you opt out of packing an entire outfit make sure you consider some essentials like clean socks, underwear, and especially a sweatshirt or jacket.