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It’s hard to imagine there are many people who’ve slept for an extended amount of time at an airport who would describe that experience as enjoyable. However, there may be a way to make it much less painful than it means to be thanks to an unconventional strategy that’s gotten a seal of approval from the TSA.
Airports are essentially ephemeral destinations that are meant to accommodate travelers who usually won’t be there for more than a few hours. There are usually plenty of places to eat, stores filled with items that might come in handy during your journey, and areas where you can rest for a while, but they are not designed for extended stays.
Unfortunately, you never know when you’ll be treated to one due to a lengthy layover or unexpected delay that forces you to post up in a terminal for much longer than you prefer. If you’re lucky, an airline will put you up in a nearby hotel where you can get some sleep and cash in a meal voucher, but in many cases, you’ll be forced to scout for a place where you can lie down while using a bag as an impromptu pillow.
However, it turns out that doesn’t have to be the case if you opt for a contingency plan you’ve probably never considered.
The TSA says you can set up a hammock in an airport terminal if you bring one in your carry-on
The TSA is known for being fairly no-nonsense when it comes to in-person interactions, but it tends to let its hair down a bit when it comes to its presence online.
The agency routinely doles out helpful travel tips on social media in a tone that typically clashes with the one you’ll be greeted with by people working security checkpoints at airports across America.
That includes the knowledge the TSA dropped on Wednesday in a post where it highlighted the fact that there’s nothing stopping you from bringing a hammock into an airport and setting it up once you make it past their agents, a point they drove home by posting some pictures of some people who did exactly that.
Nobody said you couldn’t bring a hammock to the airport. To reduce tension, or to avoid having a falling out with the airport, check with them about where you can and can’t hang your napping apparatus. pic.twitter.com/1t5hGRrv7T
— TSA (@TSA) July 22, 2026
The agency did stress that officials inside the airport have the final say when it comes to where you hang up a hammock (the TSA’s jurisdiction is largely limited to entry points).
It also may seem foolish to carry one around while flying on the off chance you’ll need to deploy, but it is worth noting there are plenty of thinner ones designed for camping that can be rolled into a bag that fits in the palm of your hand.