Wildman

With the end of the year approaching, many status searching frequent flyers are doing some year end mileage runs. As overnights with hotel stays raise the cost, wanted to read stories about how others have or plan to use the flights or other spaces to catch some rest.

I am doing a couple of back to backs out of LAX on the red eye to MSP and planning to sleep on the flight. I may catch some rest in the Skyclubs since, I have some short turns.

Anyone fall asleep in the club or gate area and miss a flight? I am sure it happens. I know one time, I woke up to my phone and no one was at the gate anymore, thought I missed the flight, but it was just a gate change ...whew! It did take a few moments to figure out.

Please share your stories.

Wildman

edweird

I have avoided sleeping in gate areas and airport clubs so far.

I do book one day turns for MRs that involve either redeye flights or getting up really early to make a before sunrise departure. I sleep on planes when I have a schedule like this. The benefit of not having to pay for a hotel room night is nice, but I'm extra careful to make sure I don't fall asleep while driving before or after one of these.

pmblinn

On MRs I try to avoid hotel stays like the plague. Same-day turns only. Can't really sleep on non-lie-flat flights, so nothing to do but grind through it.

drvannostren

I don't have any MRs planned but I think I'll use this quote...

"Oh boy! Sleep! That's where I'm a Viking!"
-Ralph Wiggum

I can pass out just about anywhere lol. Maybe it's a "youth" thing, it's getting less comfortable but just a couple weeks ago I slept on the floor of a hotel room because they didn't have a 2 doubles room.

I've slept in arrivals at MSP (sitting up) lining up 2 benches in front of a TV stuck on CNN Europe. I've slept with the full lights on at SFO even with the armrests (it took some wedging in lol). On the floor at PHL. Benches at DUS. Benches at YYZ. Everywhere at YVR (you work there 6 years, you learn where to sleep, airside is usually better, but sometimes you wanna be indoors). Drank all night slept at the gate at YYC, almost missed my 6am standby flight but luckily the gate agent woke me up noticing I was the only person left at the gate. Upstairs at YEG (don't think the upstairs part exists anymore, it was kind of a public lounge/seating thing). "Quiet Room" at BOG AV Sala VIP, what a godsend that was after having a REALLY awful day.

Beyond that, I can at least catch a few Zs on any plane regardless of seat. I'm a drowsy guy as I typically don't sleep enough, but I also have a restless mind maybe it's lite ADD? dunno but if I'm cooped up in 1 spot with nothing to do, or something that requires no thinking, I'll usually fall asleep. Not good for bumper to bumper gridlock, but it's great for flights. I often just wake up on final. Matter of fact, last time I had a J seat flat bed, I think I only slept 45 minutes at most because there was a movie I really wanted to watch and I was drinkin for free before a full day of flying so I felt like sleeping wasn't really going to do me any good anyway.

Hotels are like pay parking to me. Even if I have the money, I just HATE giving it to them. Another quote "Parking in the city is just like sex. Why would I pay for it when if I apply myself I can get it for free" -George Costanza. I'd rather walk 10 blocks than pay to park in a lot, I don't mind AS MUCH when the city is charging me, I feel like at least that benefits me in a round about way down the road. Hotels same thing, I could catch some Zs on the floor or on a bench, some more on the plane to pass the time and I've never got anything super important to do once I hit the ground so I'm always fine to recover at the end of that day. I hate early AM flights, but if I'm taking one, odds are I cut whatever hotel I did pay for short by that last day.

keitherson

Your friend made you sleep on the hotel floor? That's not really nice..

xliioper

I've done 3 back-to-back red-eye trips in recent years. I try to double up when I find a good deal (although it can often be difficult to find such fares for 2 days in a row). My best deal was two back-to-back PIT-LAX trips for a grand total of around $250 (I managed to book all 8 segs as a single trip which brings down the taxes and fees). I earned 11,397 MQM's and 179 MQD's on that trip. The sucky part was having to drive from DTW to PIT and back. I sleep pretty well on planes, and don't bother to try to sleep in clubs or airports. I will usually take a shower after getting off the red-eye's (if I'm connecting through ATL, JFK, or DTW). I'm still pretty tired after getting off the red-eye's, but after taking naps on the 2nd or 3rd segments afterwards, I'm generally feeling pretty good and ready to take another red-eye turn.

drvannostren

Haha no, it was my mother, I offered to take the floor knowing I'd have no problem and I'm not about to share a bed with her lol!

Bttc

Red-eyes have been good for me when MRing, but if it's a good deal, I'm not afraid of a cheap hotel stay as well (especially for a longer run).

caughp

Interesting thread...I'm doing a MR tomorrow nite-Saturday TYS-ATL-SAN and only have 7 hours in SAN. I have booked a room using Hilton points but hate to waste them for 7 hours.

I'm a little concerned about trying to tough it out at SAN overnite ... It appears the place closes down after 11pm and I land at 10:45 pm and back out at 6:30 am.

I need to make my decision today on the hotel. Any advice welcome...

CDKing

SAN terminal 1 is where many people sleep outside security, although its not as nice since they got rid of the food court. Seat 2A packs a thermarest in his carry-on bag so he can cozy up on the floor

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/usa/sandiego.htm

caughp

Thanks CD...I'll be on DL in terminal 2 but it's a possibility still I think.