Abstract
Using recent literature in platform markets we study the concept of platform waiting time as the time that users spend dealing with or within the platform. Even if platform users dislike this waiting time, platforms have an incentive not to minimize it since they may get extra revenues from other platform users that benefit from it. Hence, we argue that users waiting time will depend positively on the relative revenue that the platforms get from the other side of the market. This effect will be reinforced when the platform outsources management of these ‘other side’ revenues to third parties that have the mandate of maximizing them. Finally, waiting time will depend negatively on the opportunity cost of user’s time. We test our hypotheses with data of the US airport industry that provides an excellent empirical context for our goals.