Nothing in America is free. Very likely you are paying for it one way or another. Same applies to one's time and inconvenience - while it may sometimes feel so, that is not free either. The time and inconvenience of a night in an airport does have a cost and value - what that is will differ from person to person, but it certainly doesn't come for free. That we don't trade money does not mean we don't pay a cost or suffer an opportunity cost.