Landing at 6 a.m. can sound great when you're booking a trip. You arrive early, with the whole day ahead of you, and avoid paying for an extra night at a hotel.
But after taking my share of red-eye flights from the West Coast to Europe and the Caribbean, I know this is a dicey situation, especially when plans to sleep through the whole flight don’t work out. You might be there early, but your hotel room probably isn't ready, attractions might not be open, and there are several hours to fill before you can shower and collapse into bed.
I've learned that the trick isn't to cram as much sightseeing as possible into those "extra" hours. Instead, I use the morning strategically and keep plans flexible to avoid exhausting myself before check-in. Here are some of my favorite ways to kill time before check-in, without regretting the red-eye flight itself.
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Go to the Hotel First, Even if Your Room Isn’t Ready
My first stop after an early arrival is almost always the hotel, even when there's little chance my room will be ready.
I do this because every so often, I've been surprised to find a room ready. But even if not, I'll drop my luggage, use the restroom, and head out to get my bearings in the city. If I'm feeling extra sleep-deprived, I can post up in the hotel's business center or café.
Or, if I’m arriving early to an all-inclusive resort, I can usually drop my luggage with the porters, visit the buffet, and even take a dip in the pool, all before my room is ready. When I know this is a possibility, I keep my swimsuit and a change of clothes easily accessible in my luggage or a personal item so I don't have to dig through it in the lobby.
Often, hotels ask for my cellphone number so they can text me when my room is ready. This can help, since they'll usually put the room on a list to be turned over faster when they know you are waiting.
Book Your Hotel Starting the Night Before
If I know I'll need to hit the ground running once I land in a new destination, or I have an important event that day where an immediate nap and shower is a must, I book my hotel room for the night before I arrive.
This way, I know that the room will be available when I get there, even if it's the crack of dawn.
If you do this, just be sure to let the hotel know your anticipated arrival time isn’t until the following morning. Otherwise, they might treat your booking as a no-show and give the room away or charge you penalty fees. Paying for an entire night you’re not there might not be the cheapest option, but sometimes it’s worth it when the alternative is spending the first day totally exhausted.
Another option is to ask if early check-in is available. The hotel might charge an extra fee, but you'll avoid paying for a full day's rate. If your hotel still can't accommodate you, you might be able to book a few hours at a neighboring property through Dayuse.
Utilize a Luggage Storage Service
There are many travel situations where you won’t have a hotel to hold your bags until a room is ready.
When I arrived early in the morning in Iceland before a cruise departing in the evening, I didn't have a hotel where I could stash my luggage. Instead, I took a bus from the airport to the city center and left my luggage in the bus station lockers so I could explore the city unencumbered.
Train and bus stations are good places to find luggage lockers. Just keep in mind that you'll often need coins to use them. When I was traveling between Copenhagen and the Danish Riviera, I wanted to visit Kronborg Castle, but I didn't want to lug my suitcase around town. Train-station locker storage was the perfect option.
You can also find a variety of online or app-based luggage storage companies, such as Bounce and Stasher. With these, you'll usually leave your luggage at a local business, so pick one close to where you are staying. This is especially helpful when staying in vacation rentals or Airbnbs where there's no front desk to hold your luggage.
Book a Private Transfer
For me, one of the worst things about arriving very early after a red-eye flight is dealing with public transportation or trying to find a taxi or rideshare.
Instead, I prefer to book a private transfer in advance with a company like Daytrip, which offers car transfers between cities, by the hour, or for day trips. You can do any of this on the way between the airport and your hotel.
When I was in Amsterdam, for example, I used Daytrip to get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam for a cruise. Along the way, we stopped to visit the town of Leiden. I got out to explore for a few hours, visit the Windmill Museum, and enjoy fries and a limoncello spritz along the river. While I was exploring the town, my Daytrip driver waited for me and kept my luggage safe.
You can easily book this service to get from the airport to your hotel and add a stop in the middle for a few hours of exploring before check-in time.
Pick Low-Effort Activities
If none of the above pans out, take it easy. I've learned my lesson by overbooking myself on arrival days too many times. Now I plan low-effort activities that I can easily ditch if I'm not feeling up to it.
One of my favorite things to do is to book a free walking tour through companies like GuruWalk and Sandemans. These are a great way to see the city, and your guide will often recommend things to do while you're there. I've even had some offer their WhatsApp number in case I had questions after the tour.
When I was solo traveling in Amsterdam, I took a GuruWalk on my arrival day and learned about some of the best places to view the city from above, and followed a fantastic tip to a restaurant serving local cuisine near the Anne Frank House.
For less socializing, in Paris, a movie theater across the street from my hotel was the ideal spot to pass the time (and take a light snooze) on arrival day. But mostly, I recommend getting some sun and exercise when you arrive. It will help you adjust to the new time zone faster.
The Shortcut
Go to the hotel first. Drop your luggage, ask about early check-in, and find out what hotel amenities you can use while you wait.
Have a backup plan for your luggage. If it isn't convenient to store your luggage at your hotel or you're staying at an Airbnb, look for lockers at train stations or luggage-storage services.
Keep arrival day flexible. Pick one or two low-effort activities, get outside, and save some time in the afternoon for a quick nap before dinner.
