How to Make an Airport Pickup Sign People Can Read

By KT Apps · Updated October 16, 2026

What to write on the sign

Less is more. Most people will glance at your sign for a second while walking, so it should be readable at a glance:

• Use the surname, or the first and last name if the surname is common. For a group, use the group or company name.
• Write it the way the traveller will recognise it. If they are used to seeing their name in a particular script or spelling, use that.
• Skip extras such as "Welcome" or long titles, which only make the name smaller.
• For privacy, consider a first name and initial, or a code word you have agreed in advance, rather than a full name in a crowded public place.

Agree on the sign before the trip if you can: "look for a yellow sign saying SATO" is easy to remember after a long journey.

How big the letters should be

A common signage rule of thumb is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of letter height for every 10 feet (3 m) of viewing distance for comfortable reading. So letters about 2 inches tall read well from roughly 20 feet (6 m), and 3-inch letters from about 30 feet (9 m). It is only a guide, because lighting, eyesight and the font all play a part.

In an arrivals hall, people usually come towards you from a few metres away, so that range is often enough. If you are standing further back or the area is crowded, go bigger and use fewer letters.

Screen size limits how big a phone sign can be. A 6.1-inch phone screen held sideways is only about 5.5 by 2.6 inches, so a short name of four or five letters fits much larger than a long one. A tablet gives several times the area.

Colours and contrast

Contrast matters more than the colour itself. Dark letters on white paper, or bright letters on a dark screen, both work well. Avoid pale colours on white, red on black at small sizes, and busy patterns behind the text.

A distinctive colour helps the traveller pick you out from other drivers holding similar white signs, but only if the name is still easy to read. Yellow, white or light green on black are strong choices on a screen.

Paper sign or screen sign?

Paper or card

Can be large, needs no battery and works in bright sunlight. You need a printer or a thick marker and something stiff to hold it flat, and it is one more thing to carry.

Phone or tablet

Always with you and quick to change if the arrival or name changes. A glowing screen stands out well in dim halls and at night. It is smaller than a big piece of card, it can be hard to read in direct sunlight, and you need enough battery.

Whichever you use, turn up the screen brightness, and check that your device's auto-lock or screen timeout will not switch the display off while you wait.

Where to stand and how to hold it

• Stand where arriving passengers first come into view, without blocking the exit or the flow of people. Follow any staff instructions or marked waiting areas.
• Hold the sign at chest to shoulder height, facing the doors, and keep it still.
• Check the arrivals board: baggage claim and immigration can add a long wait after landing.
• Have your phone ready in case the traveller calls or messages to say where they are.

Making a pickup sign with Strings

Strings shows any text full screen in bold, glowing letters.

1. Tap the screen to open the controls.
2. Type the name in the Enter Text field. One to three words is easiest to read.
3. Move the Text Size slider (20 to 500) as high as it will go before the name wraps onto a second line.
4. Pick a bright text colour, such as yellow, white or green, and a dark background, such as black or navy.
5. Tap the screen again to hide the controls, so only the name is shown.
6. Turn the phone sideways for longer names. The layout adapts to landscape automatically.

Nothing you type is saved or uploaded. Strings is also on iPhone and Android, which opens faster than a browser when you need a sign in a hurry. For bigger crowds, see how to make a concert sign.

Frequently asked questions