Choosing between a cheap hostel bed or a long airport layover

Had a flight to Bangkok with a 9 hour layover in Dubai. The choice was pay $12 for a bunk in a capsule hostel inside the airport, or just tough it out on the free seats. I went with the free option to save cash, but honestly, it was brutal. I got maybe 2 hours of broken sleep and felt wrecked when my next flight boarded. Some friends say that $12 for real rest is the best money you can spend, others say you should never pay to sleep in an airport. For a layover that long, which side are you on?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_moore8d ago

Totally pay the $12 next time! I tried to save money on a layover once and ended up so tired I slept through my first day of vacation.

leewalker8d ago

Pat Moore is right about sleeping through your vacation day, that's the real cost. For a nine hour layover, twelve bucks is a no brainer. I've done the tough it out thing and you're just buying yourself a headache and a wasted day when you land. That cheap bunk pays for itself by letting you actually function when you get where you're going.

craig.alex8d ago

Picture yourself as a zombie dragging through customs, that's the real cost of saving twelve bucks. You're not just buying a nap, you're buying back a whole vacation day you'd otherwise spend in a fog. I'd take the capsule deal every single time, no question.