Cherry Blossom Season

DC-area airports celebrate Cherry Blossom season

The Cherry Blossom watch is on in Washington, D.C., with the National Park Service predicting April 1 as the peak viewing time for cherry blossoms in nation’s capital.

D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival continues through April 14, but travelers arriving or departing at the two DC-area airports, Reagan National and Dulles International, get a sneak peek, thanks to a cherry blossom pop-up at Dulles International and Japanese music and calligraphy at Reagan National airports.

At Dulles International (at the intersection of Concourses A and B) travelers will find a whimsical cherry blossom pop-up park with a 15-foot, replica cherry blossom tree, park benches or bistro tables.

The park will remain on site through May, with scheduled events through April 8.

Each Friday through April 12, travelers flying out of Reagan National will be able to hear performances by Japanese Koto musicians. A master calligrapher (to inscribe luggage tags) and a sketch artist will be on site as well.

Both airports have partnered with the official National Cherry Blossom Festival to present the exclusive 2019 National Cherry Blossom canvas tote bag. Any purchase of $100 or more at any two retail or dining locations will receive the tote as a gift with purchase. (Look for signs telling you how to redeem).

Find more details about the Cherry Blossom Festival events, including a discount parking offer, at DCA and IAD airports here.

Travel tidbits: pink terminals & airport butlers

Washington Dulles Int'l Airport in pink for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. MWAA photo

In Washington, D.C., Dulles International and Reagan National airports are celebrating cherry blossom season.

The main terminal at IAD is lit up in pink and, at DCA, the parking bridges – which have glass walls – are lit pink as well. And, at both airports, there are shopping and food promotions and fun activities on deck, including cherry blossom-themed cocktails and cookies, photo booths and stilt-walkers dressed as cherry trees.

Stilt walkers dressed as cherry trees will visit both IAD and DCA airports. Credit Sidney Woods, MarketPlace Development

Over at San Francisco International Airport, there’s a cool new amenity that might come in handy: Airport Butler concierge service.

Courtesy Airport Butler - a new concierge amenity at SFO Airprot.

It’s a pay-as-you-go concierge program approved by the airport that provides services that arriving, departing or connecting passengers might need — including making sure an elderly or inexperienced travelers gets to their gate and onto the plane to VIP services such as “discreet entry & exit” from the airport.

Fees for basic meet-and-greet services ($250) will show up when a booking is made online, but reservations for other services need to be made on the phone, where they’ll customize the service and quote a price.