Sleeping in Phoenix Airport

Whether your situation calls for a short nap or an overnight slumber, this sleep guide will give you the essential information needed to prepare you for sleeping in Phoenix Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Phoenix Airport. If you have a tip to share, write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

Read the latest traveller reviews.

Sleeping in Phoenix Airport

Locations & Seating

For general travel needs, travellers recommend Terminal 4 for its amenities and decent seating. In recent renovations, however, the airport has removed most seating that was armrest-free, so sleepers will either have to contort into a comfortable chair position or opt for the floor.

Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:

Try your luck inside cafes and restaurants that close for the night. Four Peaks Brewery in T4, Gates A1-14 has cushioned benches.
Armrest-free seating may exist in Terminal 4, near the D Gates.
Pre-Security in Terminal 3, head upstairs to the Starbucks for one of a few couches.

Rest Zones

At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.

Temperature

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal temperature. Still, you can likely expect the airport to cool down at night, as air conditioning continues to run and fewer people are inside. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.

Lighting

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal brightness. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel

Noise

During the day, sleepers can expect the normal hum of airport activity: frequent announcements on the loudspeakers, TV and music playing at gates, and chatter from workers and other travellers. At night, it may quiet down a bit, but older traveller reviews report general announcements and hourly fire drills in the middle of the night. As a precaution, come prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Showers

Unfortunately, there are no showers available to freshen up.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors: Starbucks (Terminal 3, inside Security), Starbucks and Wildflower Bread Company (Terminal 4, pre-Security), and La Madeleine and Wildflower Bread Company (Terminal 4, inside Security).

Hotels

Rather spend money on the privacy and comfort of a hotel room? You’ll have to exit the airport altogether, but there are a few hotels within a quick 8-minute drive of the airport, and they offer free shuttle service. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Phoenix Airport.

Lounges

While Phoenix Airport has a few lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you just want to relax in a comfortable seat, check out this list of lounges in our Phoenix Airport Guide that you can pay to access.

Security & Safety

It seems airport staff and security have no issue with travellers sleeping in the airport, even overnight.

At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at Phoenix Airport. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport alone or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras where you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you, and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone, we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with only earphones and a laptop bag strap, but without the iPods or laptops that were attached. The same goes for important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body so no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall so that it would be hard for someone to access it.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee, stay alert, and stay awake. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.