I'm a regular airport shopper for 3 airports in the Northeast. Since I know those airports pretty well, a list of 12 normally takes about 2 hours, so 6 shops per hour including sit down meals, and larger lists can sometimes make it 7 per hour. Below is what happened with an unfamiliar airport:
I recently had a shop trip with a scheduled 3 hour layover in an airport that I've never been too; and this one is a HUGE hub airport for a Legacy carrier. One of my long time schedulers put together a list of 11 in 1 terminal, and I got lucky by not having any sit down meals, only a few grab and go, food court, some inquiry only, and a couple news stands. Found a shop from another company to add on as well. So I have 12 shops planned, not a stress. Since i was flying in on a regional jet, and out on a main line jet, it seemed like an easy run in the one terminal.
I'm up at 6 AM in a time zone 2 hours different than home, to prepare for my last couple things to finish and check out. Leave hotel at 9:30 AM, 1 hour drive to make 1 stop on the way for some things I can't get at home, then 30 minutes to the airport to drop the rental car. Get through security, and ready for first flight of the day, which is now delayed 30 minutes. But it looked like everything would work out, especially since my arrival gate, my shops, and departing gate were in 1 straight line. I planned in advance by looking at the airport website and maps, which was a big help. Text my wife and scheduler that things might get dicey with less time in the hub than expected. Off the regional jet at 3PM at gate 47. When we left, they said it would be gate 84. So I got real lucky that the first shop was only 1 gate away. Work my way down the terminal from there all the way to 24, and I'm thinking that it is too easy, and I can get all this done in about 1:30. Took me a little longer to jot my notes after each shop, as I wasn't familiar where I was, as opposed to my regular airports where I have places I sit down off to the side out of sight. Take a bite of each food item for taste and quality, then into the trash. My roller and backpack were heavy and loaded enough already.
So I get my 8th shop done, and the message pops up on my phone that gate has changed to 45, and boarding starts at 5:05 PM. I'm committed to finish, so I hustle down and get my last shop done at 4:50 PM right in front of gate 24. Now for the long trip all the way back to where I started. Get to the first set of moving walkways, and my luck has it that a couple ahead are blocking across. Next set has 2 out of 4 out of order, and a large group of people had come off a plane. Hustle through the middle shopping area, and onto the 3rd walkway. Get to the gate just as they are calling my boarding group. Once I settle in, check my notes, make sure I have all my receipts, text my scheduler, as well as my wife. Flying home all I do is type up 1 narrative for the pick up shop I took, as it had a 12 hour window.
Got home just before midnight, connected to send my short window shop, then to bed.
Will I add on another circuit at a new airport when I'm really traveling? Only if I have a layover of at least 3 hours, but I won't seek out a long layover when on a trip. Was it stressful? Yes. Did I make a ton of money on the circuit? It wound up being decent, not as much as I've made on some, but still relatively lucrative.
Philadelphia Based, covering Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland