Spending time at the airport isn’t exactly most people’s idea of a good time — but that’s starting to change in surprising ways.
“Airports have evolved so much in the last decade and now really try to prioritize comfort for passengers,” travel blogger Esther Susag told HuffPost. “Honestly, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I love going to the airport. And now with all the things they have to offer, it motivates me to get to the airport even earlier.”
In fact, many airports have even become destinations in their own right. From cultural exhibits and yoga rooms to rooftop views and therapy animals, your layover might hold more than just a food court and a crowded gate — if you know where to look.
With that in mind, here are 19 cool airport features you might not know about.
Free Cookies
One Midwestern airport has a sweet tradition that dates back about 25 years.
“Over at Indiana’s Fort Wayne International Airport travelers are handed cookies upon arrival,” said Kayla Inserra DeLoache, a consumer trends expert with Kayak.
Typically a “hospitality host” passes out these cookies to arriving passengers, but if no one is on duty when you land, you can snag one at the airport’s “cookie kiosk” by the security exit.
Therapy Dogs … And Llamas And Alpacas
“Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport has roving therapy dogs,” said Jamie Page, senior vice president of content at The Points Guy.
The CLT Canine Crew of volunteers and their registered therapy dogs offer a little comfort and stress relief to passengers throughout the airport. Similar programs have popped up at Istanbul Airport, Calgary International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Travelers can also find therapy dogs at Portland International Airport, which hosts therapy llamas and alpacas, too.
YASIN AKGUL via Getty Images
A traveler pets a therapy dog providing solace to stressed travelers before they board their flight at the Istanbul Airport on May 3, 2024.
Swimming Pools
In some airports, you can swap your gate seat for a lounge chair.
“The lounge pools in Punta Cana have to make the list of cool airport features,” said Summer Hull, senior director of content at The Points Guy.
Indeed, two VIP lounges at the Punta Cana International Airport have pools for visitors to enjoy before boarding.
“The Singapore airport has a rooftop pool,” added Gabby Beckford, founder of the travel site Packs Light.
Yoga And Meditation Rooms
Need to unwind from the stress of air travel? You don’t have to wait until you get to your hotel or home.
“There are plenty of airports that have meditation rooms with yoga mats such as San Francisco International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport,” Susag said.
Marriage License Bureaus
“At Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, we’ve seen pop-up marriage license bureaus at the airport for couples eager to head straight to their wedding,” Inserra DeLoache said.
This kind of amenity is a natural fit for the famous quickie wedding destination. When these pop-ups are operating, you can handle the forms and bureaucracy as soon as you land and skip the trip to the downtown bureau.
L.E. BASKOW via Getty Images
The Clark County Clerk’s Office periodically operates a temporary pop-up marriage license office at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Live Music
“The Nashville and Austin airports regularly showcase local musicians,” Susag said.
Music lovers can also catch live performances at certain times at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with their Traveling Tunes program, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport through Sounds at SEA and London’s Heathrow Airport thanks to Heathrow Sounds.
And living up to its namesake, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has three different stages for live music throughout the year.
Libraries
“The Amsterdam Airport has a library available for passengers that is open 24 hours a day where you can hang out and read without the pressure of having to buy something,” Susag said.
Although that library is temporarily closed due to construction at the airport, you can find a free book swap at Helsinki Airport, a library at Tallinn Airport in Estonia and a “flybrary” at Cape Town International Airport.
There are free digital book downloads on offer at Philadelphia International Airport, as well as Daytona Beach International Airport with its Books on the Fly program. Bibliophiles might also enjoy the used bookstore at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (which is also home to another unique feature ― the Recombobulation Area).
Movie Theaters
“There’s the free-to-attend Hollywood Theatre at Portland International Airport, Hull noted.
Other airports with movie theaters include Singapore’s Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and Incheon International Airport near Seoul. You can also check out the curated selection of short films and other videos at the See18 film space at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
Ice Skating
In the winter, Denver International Airport sets up a free ice skating rink for travelers to enjoy.
The rink is outside security, but it’s perfect for arriving visitors looking to dive into winter wonderland fun, passengers with long layovers, or even departing skate fanatics craving one last spin before leaving the Mile High City.
RJ Sangosti via Getty Images
Denver International Airport offers a seasonal ice skating rink.
Workspaces
For those trying to get job tasks done on the go, many airports are upping their workspace game. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and other airports even offer soundproof meeting pods.
“As a remote worker, I’ve loved seeing the boom in airport cubicles and work pods, too,” Beckford said. “I love my lounge access, but sometimes I need to be alone to take a call or really get in the zone, and finding one of these pods is a real savior.”
You can also find work pods in an increasing number of lounges, including Delta and American Airlines clubs. And if you’re too tired to work (or need to rest up before a meeting), some airports also offer nap pods — quiet, pay-to-use spaces to catch some sleep between flights.
City Tours
If you have a super long layover at a big international hub, you might consider checking to see if the airport offers a tour of the major attractions of the area in you time frame.
“Recently I have even seen some airports like Singapore, Istanbul and Seoul offering free city tours during long layovers,” Susag noted.
Gardens And Green Spaces
“Some airports even have indoor jungles,” Beckford said, pointing to Singapore’s famous airport green spaces, which include the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.
Changi is also home to a beautiful butterfly garden, hedge maze, floral displays and seemingly endless other small green spaces throughout the terminals. It’s not the only airport where you can find greenery, however.
Hamad International Airport in Doha and Seoul’s Incheon International Airport have similar lush spaces that bring the outdoors inside.
Annice Lyn via Getty Images
Singapore’s famous airport green spaces include the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.
Outdoor Terraces
You can also literally go outside in many airport lounges, like the growing number of Delta Sky Clubs with outdoor terraces and sky decks.
“The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport has a secret rooftop terrace with incredible views of the tarmac,” noted Nicky Kelvin, editor at large for The Points Guy.
VIP Areas With Private Security
“There are pay-to-play private VIP lounge areas with their own security entrances,” Hull noted.
Many airports offer exclusive areas with upscale lounges with private security checkpoints and concierge services geared toward celebrities, diplomats and high-net-worth travelers. For instance, there’s the Private Suite terminal at Los Angeles International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
But you don’t have to be an A-list celebrity or diplomat to access a special separate security line.
“JFK has this Priority Pass lounge that is pre-security, but has security inside it so you can skip the long lines,” said Caroline English, director of social media and brand at The Points Guy.
Visitor Passes For Non-Passengers
Even if you aren’t flying, you might be able to spend time in the airport and enjoy some of the aforementioned amenities.
“Visitor pass programs have also been a growing trend at airports,” Inserra DeLoache said. “At airports such as Orlando International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, non-ticket holders can gain access past security to explore all the restaurants, shops and amenities inside the airport.”
Museums
You don’t have to limit your museum visits to trips downtown.
“Several airports have their own museums,” Susag noted, pointing to the destinations that curate their own galleries to keep travelers occupied and immersed in local culture as they await boarding time.
For example, there’s the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum and Library at San Francisco International Airport, Rijksmuseum Schiphol Airport for Amsterdam travelers, and a variety of smaller displays like the MIA Galleries at Miami International Airport and “Flight Paths” exhibit in the pedestrian tunnel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
Travelers can learn about the history of air travel at the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum and Library at San Francisco International Airport.
Bikes
“Zurich’s airport lets you rent bikes or inline skates for a pre-flight workout,” Beckford said.
If you have extra time before your flight or if you’ve just arrived in Zurich, you can walk, bike or skate the the Flughafen-Rundweg loop around the airport and enjoy scenic views of planes taking off and landing.
Fitness Centers
If you aren’t in a position to leave the airport, you can find stationary bikes to get your sweat on.
“There are Peloton setups in places like the Capital One Lounge,” Hull noted.
Indeed, many airport lounges have wellness-related amenities. Last year, the Club SFO debuted two fitness mirrors and luminescence rooms with customizable color-temperature lighting. (Don’t worry, these lounges have showers too.)
Spa Treatments
The airport lounge wellness offerings also include spa options in many cases ― for instance the complimentary massages and facials at the exclusive Qantas First Class or Delta One lounges.
And even if you don’t have lounge access, you can seek out a Be Relax Spa or XpresSpa for quick massage, skin care and nail treatments. The airports in Singapore and Seoul have even more in-depth spa offerings as well.
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