Which Airports Have Airside Transit Hotels?

If you’re not a frequent flyer you might not be aware of a better way to spend your time at your transit airport. There is an ever growing number of international airports that offer air-side hotels as an amenity. A place to hit the sack for a few hours until it is time to travel onwards to your final destination. So let’s take a deep dive into the world of air-side hotels and what they have to offer, even to the not so frequent flyer. Let’s find out.

In this post:

• First Of All, What is An Air-Side Hotel?
• How Do They Charge For Stays?
• Which Airports Have Airside Transit Hotels?
• When Does It Make Sense To Book Room?

First Of All, What is An Air-Side Hotel?

They are hotels located past the security checks, hence air-side. Therefore they are only accessible to passengers travelling transiting through an airport.

Their main asset is their location. Their business model bases itself on offering the highest convenience to travellers. Simply you will not need to go through customs, immigration or collect your bags while staying at an air-side hotel. You will only have to make your way to the hotel and sleep your transit time away.

The downside is that this convenience comes at a premium. You’ll have to part ways with a much larger amount of cash in order to stay at one of these hotels compared to a regular hotel or even a land-side airport hotel.

Also the fact that these hotels cater to transiting passengers means that they will only be available in the larger more trafficked hubs. As we’ll see later in this post almost all air-side hotels are in large connecting hubs.

How Do Air-Side Hotels Charge You?

These hotels, as we have seen so far, are quite unique. Unsurprisingly they also operate in a different way with traditional hotels.

They don’t just offer rooms by the night. They also offer a much wider assortment of solutions to cater to the unique needs transit passengers.

For those needing just a few hours of rest, there are short-stay packages ranging from four to six hours. This is ideal for travellers looking to freshen up between flights without committing to a full stay. These short-stay options often include access to essential amenities like a private shower, a bed and Wi-Fi.

Longer stays are also available. These generally cater to passengers with extended layovers. These packages provide a hotel room which is conveniently located just minutes from the departure gates. The rooms are generally not the most spacious nor do they generally offer interesting views, however they are without a doubt the most convenient and comfortable way to passa a long layover at an airport.

Therefore air-side hotels according to the package you choose or by the hour. Prices are on the higher end, as mentioned and as you might expect. A full night stay will set you back at least 200 Euro at any of the major airports. Hourly rates on the other hand are in the order of 40 Euro per hour, so a short sleep between flights is all-in-all affordable for many.

Which Airports Have Airside Transit Hotels?

The luxury and comfort of this very unique amenity is something that is not available to every airport. In order to make it a viable business they need large numbers of transiting passengers. Therefore you’ll only come across them in the busiest transit airports around the world. The list features:

When Does It Make Sense To Book an Air-Side Transit Hotel Room?

It makes particularly sense to book an air-side transit hotel in a couple of situations. Such as:

• You have important engagements at your destination and also have a long layover on your way there. In order to be at your best once at destination it is a great idea to enjoy a good rest in one of these hotels, although the prices might not be exactly cheap.
• You have found a insanely good deal on a flight with a super low rate, but it includes a long transit time. If the cost of the hotel isn’t higher than the amount you are saving on your ticket, you might as well enjoy a good sleep in a bed, instead of airport benches or a floor.