Last year, it was rawdogging flights. This year, it’s showing up at the airport minutes before a flight and rushing to make it to the gate.
Videos by TravelAwaits
It’s a wild world of TikTok travel trends—and I’m not talking about more general vacationing trends like solo travel or sustainability. I’m talking about more involved fads that provide the foundation for clickable content.
TikTokers in 2024 were showing up for long-haul flights without any entertainment or comfortable items in their arsenals. The goal was to ‘rawdog’ the flight without watching any films, listening to music, powering down for a nap, or, in some extreme cases, even drinking water.
But as rawdogging lost its shimmer, new trends took over. One of my favorites was the aesthetics-driven security bin. Rather than toss their luggage into security bins to clear the x-ray machines quickly, TikTokers were putting together cute arrangements for the perfect photo op—something called the ‘aesthetic TSA tray’.
While rawdogging was partly a way for travelers to challenge themselves (sort of like a mini digital detox), the aesthetic TSA tray was purely for the visual.
This year, TikTokers are taking things in a totally new direction with the emerging trend called Airport Theory. And it’s dumber than all the rest.
What’s Airport Theory?
Airport Theory is a TikTok challenge in which passengers show up only 15 minutes before their flight. You read that correctly.
TikTokers are showing up at the airport with the hopes of clearing security and finding their gates before it shuts… with only 15 minutes to spare and a smartphone recording the entire escapade.
Unsurprisingly, many don’t make it on the plane—and there’s been a huge uptick in searches for ‘I missed my flight’, according to the New York Post. The hashtag ‘Airport Theory’ has also wracked up close to 500 million views on TikTok during this period.
But some actually manage the feat, and usually with only minutes to spare. Most who manage to make their flight are doing so for social media flex, but some feel that it’s also a way to challenge the traditional idea that you need to show up hours before a flight.
The best Airport Theory cases
Airport Theory isn’t a good idea, and I recommend you give yourself plenty of time to get through the airport before your flight starts. Again, you’re arriving early in case of disaster—not because you actually need an hour and a half to get through security.
That being said, this TikTok trend is endlessly entertaining. If you’re interested in seeing Airport Theory in action, check out these adventures:
- Michael DiCostanzo, Atlanta Airport
- Deana Nguyen, Omaha Airport
- Sarina Ghani, Newark Airport
- Jenny Kurtz, Chicago O’Hare
- Mom Life With Tiff
- Olivia Scherschel, Denver Airport
- DracarysFlame, Dallas Airport
