24 Travel Memes to Pass Time When You Arrive at the Airport Way Too Early

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Aug 10, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

I was at the airport this past week. I took the bus from my city, which got me there way too early. Then my flight got delayed—five hours—because the previous flight hit a bird and maintenance had to check it out. Passengers started getting angry, bombarding the gate workers with requests for flight changes and travel vouchers. It was absolute chaos.

Two hours past the original boarding time, they suddenly announced they were moving the boarding time up and started boarding immediately. It worked out for me, but it was definitely annoying (especially for the other passengers who already left).

When I got there, I noticed how busy the airport was. I'd never flown into that one before. So when my trip ended, I made sure to get there super early for my return flight. I navigated the Amtrak station and planned to arrive three hours early.

But after flying through security with no delays, I found myself waiting way too early again with nothing to do. Airports have a way of turning early arrivals into a long, boring wait, and these memes perfectly capture that feeling. 

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  • If you’ve ever been stuck killing time at the airport, you’ll appreciate these 24 travel memes to pass the time when you arrive way too early.

  • 01
    Me to me: Another trip? Yes, baby, you deserve it.
    via wander.on
  • 02
    Kimberly Dinaro $ @Kimberly Dinaro Say what you will about Millennials, we are NEVER the ones holding up an airport security line alli @sonofalli there should be a separate TSA line for people who are apparently experiencing their first day on earth
    via KimberlyDinaro and sonofalli
  • 03
    Ben Crew @BenjaminCrew1 Airline attendant: We are now boarding for Group 1 only. I repeat, Group 1 only. Someone from group 6:
    via BenjaminCrew1
  • 04
    Me posting a photo of myself in another country after I told everyone that I am broke
    via trendingtravel
  • 05
    Elle Oh H @ElleOhHell Please remain seated until we've reached the gate, then feel free to stand hunched over weirdly sideways for 15 minutes while we do whatever
    via ElleOhHell
  • 06
    Louis Virtel @louisvirtel The best part of being a flight attendant has to be when you walk the aisle saying “trash” to everyone's face. soul nate @MNateShyamalan the best part of sitting in the exit row is when the flight attendant comes by to make you promise not to be a coward
    via louisvirtel and MNateShyamalan
  • 07
    when my dad alr tweakin on the road trip but i forgot to tell him i left every single light on at the house 00
    via meme.ig
  • 08
    When people say I should probably start saving money. Also me: Australia Bali Maldives Japan Mexico Italy
    via trendingtravel
  • 09
    Imani Gandy @AngryBlackLady I saw a lady go into the bathroom with no shoes on. AN AIRPLANE BATHROOM. I bet she's patient zero. loripetty @loripetty I can't even stand the folks that go through TSA barefoot. Nasty
    via AngryBlackLady and loripetty
  • 10
    Murph & Turf ✔ @JamesMurphy The atlanta airport designers were like "and then what if we had them run a 5k"
    via JamesMurphy
  • 11
    latke @latkedelrey because it'll give the plane a UTI stoned cold f... @roastmalo... can someone please explain why we don't load planes back to front
    via latkedelrey
  • 12
    Me at work with an endless to-do list Cheap flights for next month
    via travelpirates
  • 13
    Jonathan Edward Durham @thisone@verhere Hey guys new circle of h I just dropped Low cost airlines will officially launch 'standing only seats' in 2026 after finally passing safety evaluations f 773 comments +3 View gallery
    via thisone0verhere
  • 14
    scaachi @Scaachi having wifi on a plane is just incredible because now i can complain about air travel WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!!! THIS PLANE DOESN'T HAVE ANY PLUGS!!!!!! I HATE IT HERE!!!!!!!! TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! chuck A @crowcialist Something deeply sinister about in-flight WiFi. Violates the separation of powers between Land and Sky. Don't like it
    via Scaachi and crowcialist
  • 15
    Me when I get back to work after a long vacation And I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do
    via wander.on
  • 16
    mattobrien currently on a flight to Montreal and as far as I can tell the very French couple next to me enjoys only coughing their hobby is coughing their employment is coughing and when they vacation they enjoy sitting and having a nice beefy cough timetoleavethehouse + Why I never ever fly without le masque.
    via mattobrien and timetoleavethehouse
  • 17
    Me a day before the trip: WANDERON
    via wander.on
  • 18
    jaciterjcomedy Airplane announcements: We are so excited to now offer free WiFi on all of our planes! Except this lil Ione you're flying on, you sh. Now stare out the window like an idiot for the next four hours.
    via jaciterjcomedy
  • 19
    What I need right now: Appraisal and long vacation
    via desh.videsh.in
  • 20
    Dan Wilbur @DanWilbur "Oh. Wow. Oh. Jeez. We didn't think everyone was gonna bring a bag!" -airlines
    via DanWilbur
  • 21
    zach silberberg @zachsilberberg i hate my fuckass brain. every time i see this sign on a plane my immediate impulse is to interpret it as "sowwy no stowage " No stowage 0252-93433.408
    via zachsilberberg
  • 22
    Me, when I'm old, looking at my travel pictures and thinking it was all worth it. @tripmysoul.in
    via tripmysoul.in
  • 23
    994 DREAMS XXicherries i don't know why airlines don't abandon the beverage cart and go to touch screen ordering/paying- i get the cart is iconic, but it makes so much more sense to • have a stationary drink station, and the fa can take the drink out and drop it off through out the flight. aisle seat people aren't getting bumped, sleeping people aren't getting disturbed, have the screen prompt them to have id ready.
    via xxicherries
  • 24
    Chris Quilietti @ChrisQ_1 One of my shoes got stuck in the security scanner at Edinburgh Airport and when I asked about it the man said "calm down Cinderella we'll get your shoe back"
    via ChrisQ_1

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wait relatable memes airport flight funny memes TSA Travel traveling road trip holidays airplane vacation
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