For travelers facing a long layover or an unexpected flight delay, the options to wait it out are familiar: Endure an overcrowded terminal, seek access to a lounge, or detour to a nearby hotel. But there’s another choice—a new concept that was recently unveiled at Miami International Airport (MIA).
Sleep pod company Wait n’ Rest on March 10 opened its first U.S. location, located after security in Concourse D near Gate D15. Its 15 private rooms, which have hotel-style beds and linens along with dedicated shower facilities, are bookable by the hour, offering a flexible option for travelers who need a quiet respite (and some shut-eye) without leaving the terminal. A second location, at MIA’s Concourse H, is expected to open by this summer.
Each of the accommodations from Wait n’ Rest has one or two beds and customizable lighting, access to in-room shows and movies, and real-time flight information. Guests can also order snacks and beverages directly to their pod through a touchscreen system. Pricing starts at $40 per hour for single occupancy, with a flat $200 rate for an overnight stay of up to 10 hours. You can book the accommodations in advance online.
These in-terminal pods at MIA are a small part of the airport’s $12 billion modernization program, which aims to elevate the passenger experience with new gates, dining facilities, baggage-handling systems, and premium lounges. Completion is targeted for 2030, but progress has been incremental thus far, including the replacement of more than 200 escalators, elevators, and moving walkways. In 2025, J.D. Power named MIA the most-improved mega-airport in North America for customer satisfaction, a result the airport attributes to its ongoing investments across terminals and services.
Miami is a major hub for American Airlines (and other Latin American carriers), with a large share of overnight departures and connections, making these pods a practical alternative for passengers with late-night flights. Travelers can rest without leaving security or venturing to an airport hotel.
The new Wait n’ Rest at Miami Airport is in Concourse D near Gate D15.
Courtesy of ‘Wait ‘n’ Rest'/Miami Airport International
Wait n’ Rest has existing accommodations at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. The company notes on its website that it plans to eventually have more than 130 beds globally, including a forthcoming location at Toronto Pearson Airport in Ontario, Canada.
Airport sleep rooms, like the new ones at MIA, resemble Japan’s capsule-style hotels: affordable, compact lodging for budget-conscious travelers. The majority of airport pay-per-use, 24-hour micro-hotels are outside the U.S., with notable concentrations in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. One of the most recognizable is the Yotel hotel brand’s YotelAir hotels, with in-terminal locations in Amsterdam (AMS), Istanbul (IST), London Gatwick (LGW), Paris’ Charles de Gaulle (CDG), and Singapore Changi (SIN).
Elsewhere in the U.S., Minute Suites offers a similar hourly concept. The rooms at its 16 locations—including Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), and San Francisco (SFO)—skew more toward private workspaces, with a daybed as opposed to a full mattress, but they can be used for sleeping in a pinch. For travelers with a Priority Pass membership, including those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, or Platinum Card from American Express, one hour is complimentary at Minute Suites locations.
As airports continue to expand and reimagine the traveler journey, these private, pay-by-the-hour pods offer a practical third option between lounges and hotels.
