The seat that wasn’t there (until I looked at the departures board)

Arriving at the airport way too early always feels like a smart move.No stress, no rushing, everything under control. At least in theory.

That morning I was at Madrid–Barajas, more than three hours before my flight. It was early, the kind of time when you expect the terminal to be half empty. Instead, it was packed. Every seat was taken, people were sitting on the floor, backpacks everywhere, and long lines forming along the corridors.

I walked around. Changed areas. Changed gates. Nothing.Every free seat I spotted disappeared in seconds.

Just as I was about to give up and accept standing for the next hour, I instinctively looked up at the departures board. Not to check my flight — that one was still far away — but to see what was happening around me.

That’s when I noticed it:a flight to Lisbon had just started boarding.

I checked the gate and walked over, without expecting much. I stood there and waited. A few minutes later, people began to get up: zipping backpacks, grabbing jackets, joining the line. One by one, the seats started to free up.

That’s when the trick clicked.

The airport seating trick

When the airport is full and there’s nowhere to sit, don’t look for a seat — look for the right moment.

1. Check the departures board

2. Find the next flight that’s entering boarding

3. Note the gate

4. Go there and wait a few minutes

The people sitting in that area are about to leave.Not all at once, but enough to open up seats without wandering all over the terminal.

A small traveler’s lesson

At airports, it’s not about arriving early — it’s about paying attention.The departures board isn’t just there to tell you when your flight leaves, but to help you read how the crowd moves.

A simple trick, learned by chance at Barajas, thanks to a flight to Lisbon.Next time you can’t find a seat, look up. The solution might already be written above you ✈️