"Graveyard Shift" friendly airports?
 

I am facing a MR situation in which I need to spend the proverbial "graveyard shift", approx 12 midnight to 5AM, at some airport, then catch a 6AM'ish flight to catch an international flight.

The time 12-5 AM does not seem worth bothering with hotels etc. I can't organize it to get a proper sleep. Miles are the only good thing about this trip. :) I am wondering if AC lounge hours (any 24 hr ones?) or the general facilities make certain airports better. A partial list of airports is:

ATL, BNA, CLT, DCA, IAH, JAX, JFK, MCO, MIA, MSY, RSW, TPA

Thanks.

MCO and MIA have hotels in the airport terminal itself. You may want to reconsider.

I would probably avoid smaller airports or airports where AA is in a small terminal because you may risk closure (e.g. IAH, RSW).

MSY is generally a dump. I would avoid it too.

Where there is a demand, there is a website: Sleeping in Airports

I've spent the night at MCO a few times. You can do a lot worse.

MIA the lounge opens extra early, 4:45AM for a shower. IIRC, the ACs close at midnight or so. MIA is busy nearly 24 hours a day with late and early morning arrivals. JFK be aware the lounge does not open until 5:15AM and its a ghost town after midnight. I would try to pick airports that have lounges that close late and open early. After sleeping a couple of hours on an airport chair, you will need a shower.

I found a place in MIA on the 4th floor above AA check-in near some meeting rooms. Was very quiet.

JFK I did 12 am to 5 am - they never shut the music or lights off, it seems. Did not have a good rest even though I found a slightly deserted nook behind a gate. People started arriving around 3:30 am so no sleep. Never again. :)

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There are no 24 hour ACs. I think the closest is LAX which closes at 12:30 am and reopens at 5:00 am

MIA clubs open at 4:30 am
BOS opens at 4:15 am

At JFK T8 you are not supposed to stay airside all night. Private security contractors (not TSA) patrol the concourses and will ask you to leave the secured area if they find you. The checkpoint re-opens around 4:30am, and the lounges open at 5:15am.

Landside at T8 is not very pleasant, though there are some benches and an occasional cot sitting in a corner, left over from the last big IRROPS evening.

For anyone who is staying overnight at JFK and wants to remain at the airport, I recommend heading over to T4, the international terminal. There is a big shopping arcade outside security with a number of 24-hour vendors.

Alternatively, take the AirTrain to Jamaica to the E subway and enjoy Manhattan for a few hours! (I feel VERY safe walking around Midtown/Times Sq late at night)

I wonder how airport hotels, such as the TPA Marriott, feel about people crashing in their lobby in order to avoid paying for a room. I imagine you'd be fine sitting in a chair, but if you try to stretch out on a couch, they might give you a hard time. One thing you might consider is taking one of the free hotel shuttles to a hotel near the airport (again using TPA as an example, maybe the Hyatt Westshore) just to relax in the lobby. At some of them, you might even be able to partake in a free breakfast in the lobby! Also, at some of the airports in your list -- MSY, for example -- the amenities suck during the day, let alone the middle of the night. As much as I love the city of New Orleans, MSY should be off your list unless you're actually going to go into the city.


I fee very safe walking around most of Manhattan late at night. There are many neighborhoods -- west village, east village, lower east side, for example -- that will be safe and far more interesting than Times Sq.

I would've said Amsterdam AMS Schipol... They have great full length zero gravity loungers. But thats already international :)

+1 ^

For LAX, take the Dollar/Thrifty car rental van to its off-airport location. Right across the street is a 24 hr Denny's that's attached to a Travelodge :D Free WiFi too ^

Bear in mind that a couple of delayed redyes or a QF flight delay and the AC will be open much later. I've been in there as late as about 0130.

And it's easy to see why. :D