The Airport All-Nighter

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I have not intentionally "pulled an all-nighter" since my undergraduate days. But I have stayed up all night, both intentionally and not, while traveling. My last one was in Munich, Germany, in November 2022. I purposely went to an early dinner, since I had to leave my hotel by 4am for a 6am flight. My early dinner ended up as a rousing evening in the bar/restaurant with newfound friends, at the Munchner Stubn just down the street. I ended up staying until last call or closing. By the time I got back to my hotel around 2am, I decided to stay awake, pack up, and get ready for my 4am cab to the airport. I was headed to Lisboa, as I recall. I have not been stuck in an airport in a very long time. My first rule is to always have access to an airline lounge. But even then, only flights and terminals with international flights stay open for 24 hours. Domestic lounges usually close by 10pm, some until midnight. Without lounge access, the next best choice would be chairs (without arm rests) or lounges on the concourse. Failing that, the floor is your next best option. This makes a strong case for carrying some creature comforts in your carry-on bag. Speaking of lounges, getting stuck in a Singapore Airlines lounge (Hong Kong) all day is not that bad. Along with many great choices of food, they had showers and toiletries! Some things to always carry with you: medication, phone charger, eye mask, earplugs, and some toiletries. Hopefully, your backpack can serve as a pillow, and your jacket as a blanket. And always carry a refillable water bottle, and snacks. Just remember, the airport convenience stores may also close at midnight or earlier. Some airports have capsule hotels, mostly in Asia. Places like Singapore, Haneda in Tokyo, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Incheon have various sleep options. Usually, I don't even try to sleep. I know it will not be a very restful sleep, so I adjust my schedule for the next day accordingly, whenever possible. Some airport bars stay open all night, but I would not know which ones. If the airline is the cause of your overnight stay, always ask for hotel and meal vouchers, or even cash! A few years back, we did a voluntary "bump" resulting in an upgrade to Business Class on the next flight, $500 airline vouchers (each), and $50 for meals. But we had to endure several hours at the airport or ask for a hotel voucher. All-nighters are the young and tough traveler, not for me!

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