How To Play: Airport

Overview

Have you ever tried to run an airport and felt like your luggage ended up in Paris, but you were in Peoria? Well, that was my last Saturday night with friends playing Airport. If you’re scratching your head thinking, ‘How To Play airport’ without missing your flight to victory, you’re in the right place. This guide has a quick outline of the rules and the best strategies I’ve learned to (sometimes) win.

What’s in the box

• 1 Game Board
• 6 Player Pawns
• 60 Route Cards
• 30 Passenger Tokens
• 18 Resource Chips
• 1 Airport Control Tower Marker
• 1 Start Player Token
• 6 Player Reference Cards
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Airport: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center. Make sure everyone can reach it, unless you want chaos. Trust me, elbows will fly.
2. Each player picks a color and takes the matching planes, tokens, and a runway mat. Don’t fight over the blue planes.
3. Shuffle the Route cards and deal three to each player. Put the rest face down.
4. Place the passenger tokens near the board as a general supply. I like to call this the ‘lounge.’
5. Decide who goes first. In my group, the person who last sprinted through an actual airport gets the honor.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, draw a Route card and add it to your hand. Try not to look too smug.
2. Play up to two Route cards to place your planes along the matching routes on the board.
3. Move a passenger token from the lounge to your plane if you connect two destinations.
4. Block opponents by building routes near theirs. This is why my friends don’t trust me anymore.
5. Keep your eyes on your goals. Every move gets you closer to victory, or total confusion.

Winning

1. The game ends when the Route cards run out or all passenger tokens have flown away to their destinations.
2. Count the passengers who reached their final destinations using your planes.
3. The player with the most passengers delivered wins! Winner must do a victory lap around the living room.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Weather delays: If you draw a Weather card (randomly mixed in), lose your turn. Groan loudly for effect.
2. Overbooking: You can never carry more passengers than you have planes on the board. Attempt at your own risk (and ridicule).
3. Runway jam: If two players try to place a plane on the same route, both must play rock-paper-scissors. Yes, seriously.

And that’s how you get started. If you want to impress your friends, just remember to act like you’ve played before. Using these rules, you’ll know How To Play airport with confidence—and maybe even win. Good luck, and may your layovers be short!

Best Airport Strategies

Mastering the Pathways: Optimal Route Planning in Airport

Begin with the End in Mind

Always check the final destinations before you make your first move. Planning backwards helps you spot bottlenecks.

1. Mark high-traffic routes early.
2. Reserve key paths before others grab them.

Stay Flexible

When someone blocks your chosen path, don’t panic. Adjust quickly and look for the next best route.

1. Keep alternate routes ready.
2. Watch opponents’ moves closely.

Control the Board

Always try to own the busiest routes. This gives you more options and can block others from easy wins in Airport.

1. Prioritize central connections.
2. Balance short and long paths for steady progress.

With these steps, you’re sure to unlock the secret sauce of How To Play airport like a champ!

Master Your Resources, Master The Skies

Don’t Hoard, Spend Wisely

If you’re like me, it’s easy to hoard all your airport tokens like some sort of flight-obsessed dragon. But, keeping them in your hand won’t get you anywhere. Use your resources at just the right moments! For instance:

1. Spend on upgrades when they block others or open a new route for you.
2. Balance spending so you’re never caught empty-handed.

Timing Is Everything

Now, you don’t want to jump the gun. Wait till the best moment before you trade resources. I’ve lost many games from impatient spending. Try these tips:

1. Watch your opponents and react when they least expect.
2. Prepare your resources ahead for tricky rounds.

Resource Swap Smarts

Another mistake I made: never trading. Instead, swap smart if it’s allowed in your rules! Sometimes a trade can win the game. Keep your eyes peeled for good deals.

Zooming to Victory: Smart Passenger Movement in Airport

Snag the Shortcuts

1. Always check for shortcut routes. I once won by zipping through a hidden path while my friends argued about snacks.

2. Move your passengers through less crowded terminals. This makes it harder for opponents to block you.

Block with Purpose

1. Strategically place your passengers to block common routes. This slows down rivals and opens up space for you later.

2. Use a decoy! Distract your friends with one passenger while the others sneak along the board.

Plan for Surprises

1. Always keep one passenger close to a winning spot. This pays off when your friends least expect it.

2. Try to move in small jumps. It gives you options when chaos hits—trust me, chaos always hits.

So, the secret sauce for How To Play airport like a champ? Move with purpose, and don’t get stuck in a traffic jam!

Ready for Takeoff? Time to Soar at Airport!

Well, there you have it. If you follow these tips, you might not crash and burn like I did the first time (sorry again, Tim, for making you miss that connection). How To Play airport is all about keeping cool, planning ahead, and sometimes just grinning when your grandma outsmarts you with a perfect route.

Remember, everyone looks clever until the weather cards hit. Good luck, don’t forget your luggage, and may your snacks never run out mid-game!

Want to know what we think of Airport? Read our detailed review of Airport here