Observe the various restaurants, bookshops and other souvenir shops that are in your terminal and on the way to your gate.
Determine how much time you have before you need to be at your gate.
Browse through the selections of souvenirs that are unique to the airport's area. Pay special attention to any regional fare that the airport may sell, such as unique cakes or candy. Purchase any shot glasses, t-shirts, candy or mugs for friends and family.
Spend some time in the airport's bookstore. Find a corner and pick up a few books that have caught your attention. Purchase any books that truly engage you to read on your plane.
Find a cozy seat at one of the airport's bars and talk to any of your nearby patrons. This usually works best if you sit at the bar.
Do some people watching by scanning the list of departures and where they're headed. Then sit in the terminals of some of the more exotic departures to get a sense of the people from that area. This works best if you're in an international airport, but even if you're not you can still get a good sense of the various American cultures by sitting in the departures area of faraway cities.
Talk up any people at your gate or in your seating row once you need to report to your gate to board your flight.
