Keep in mind that some of the features we love may be unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
If we miss something you love about SDF Airport, or if you have an airport you’d like to be featured, please drop a note in the comments section below.
5 Things We Love About Louisville Muhammad International Airport (SDF)
1. The airport’s name honors Muhammad Ali
Louisville International Airport became Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in 2019 to honor boxing legend and Louisville native Muhammad Ali.
Ali was born on January 17, 1942, and died on June 3, 2016. The Muhammad Ali Center, on Louisville’s Museum Row, explores his life.
Kentucky is bourbon country and we love that rocking chairs at SDF are made from bourbon barrel staves by local Wood Artisan Jason Cohen.
3. The Virtual Information Booth at SDF
SDF has a Virtual Information Booth staffed by volunteers from the Airport Ambassador Program who answer questions from a remote spot in the airport. A perfect social distance solution to customer service and safety.
So it’s good to know that travelers can purchase both bourbon and Louisville Slugger bats in the airport shops.
5. The SDF Wags Team
The SDF Wags program at Louisville Mohammad International Airport kicked off in 2019.
Certified pet therapy animals and their handlers visit the airport terminal two to three times a week to help make the travel experience less stressful.
6. Bonus: the SDF Mascot
We love airport mascots, plain and simple, and the mascot at SDF – named Skye- is one of our favorites.
If we miss one of your favorite amenities at MKE, be sure to leave a note in the comments section below. And if you want to nominate an airport to be featured in the ‘5 Things We Love About…” series, drop a note in that section as well.
5 Things We Love About Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
1. MKE’s Recombobulation Area
The “Recombobulation Area” just past the MKE security checkpoints is a place where passengers can put their coast and shoes back on and get their belongings in order after passing through TSA.
Evidently, the Recombobulation Area has become more than just a thoughtful airport amenity.
“Recombobulation” has become a part of every Wisconsinite’s dictionary, MKE officials tell us. And it was the answer to a question on the popular game show Jeopardy!.
2. Baron’s Beer Garden at MKE
Milwaukee is well-known for its great beers and a brewing history dating back to 1840.
So it makes sense, doesn’t it, that MKE is home to what may be the first beer garden in a U.S. airport.
Located on Concourse C, Baron’s Beer Garden takes inspiration from traditional German beer gardens and the repurposed fire trucks that the Milwaukee County Parks uses for its Traveling Beer Garden program.
In addition to a nice variety of local beers on tap, the beer garden has a full menu and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3. MKE’s Moss Wall
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport makes selfies simple with the MKE Moss Wall.
The wall is real and made up of fern, pillow, and mood moss that has been treated with a safe, non-toxic preservation liquid. So snap away.
4. MKE’s Coat Check service
This is an airport amenity we love and wish was offered at more airports.
MKE is the only major airport in the U.S. to offer a coat check service during the winter. Smart, right? Even smarter: the reasonable rates. Last winter it cost $2/ day to check a coat, with a maximum charge of $10.
The coat check is located inside the Summerfest Marketplace retail shop, which is a tribute to the Summerfest festival, an event billed as the World’s Largest Music Festival.
In addition to Summerfest merchandise and House of Harley-Davidson products, the shop sells goods made by local vendors and many Wisconsin-centric souvenirs.
5. The only used bookstore in an airport
Located in the main terminal area at MKE, Renaissance Books is the only used bookstore we know of in an airport.
(Powell’s Books recently announced the permanent closure of their shop and kiosk at Portland International Airport that offered new and used books.)
And, as you can see from the photo above, Renaissance Books at MKE isn’t a kiosk or a small shop. This is a full-fledged bookstore with dozens of categories and thousands of used and rare books to choose from.
We wouldn’t be surprised if some people missed their flights while poking around this shop.
Bonus: Gallery of Flight
The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is a must-see aviation museum that recently reopened on the south side of the MKE terminal, next to the USO.
You can visit the museum 24-hours a day at the airport and on this virtual tour.
Did we miss one of your favorite spots at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)? Drop us a note in the comments section below and let us know which airport we should visit next.
Airline passenger numbers are way down. Many airports still feeling sort of empty, with many shops and restaurants closed or operating on reduced schedules. And buying a plane ticket right now comes with a lot of “what ifs” and few perks.
So, it is an interesting time to a look at the findings of J.D. Power’s 2020 North American Airport Satisfaction Study.
First, the “winners”
The survey put airports up against each other in three categories: “mega” airports with 33 million or more passengers per year; large airports with 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year; and medium airports with 4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year.
The airports are scored on a 1,000 point scale that takes into account passenger satisfaction with factors that include terminal facilities; airport arrival/departure; baggage claim; security check; check-in/baggage check; and food, beverage and retail, in order of importance.
As with everything else right now, the coronavirus pandemic has put a twist into this year’s airport satisfaction rankings.
The overall customer satisfaction score for North American airports is up this year, to a record-high 784, which is 22 points up from 2019.
Good news, right? Sort of.
“Compared to the pre-COVID-19 environment when most airports were running significantly over capacity, the lack of crowds and long lines is actually creating a convenient experience for travelers right now,” says Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power, in the study notes.
“Obviously, this lower passenger volume is not sustainable for most airports. Airport managers are doing all they can to provide a safe and clean environment to facilitate a rebound in travel,” he adds.
Here are top five airports in each category. You can see the full rankings here.
Mega Airports
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (805)
Miami International Airport (801)
McCarran International Airport (797)
Denver International Airport (793)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (793)
Large Airports
Dallas Love Field (844)
John Wayne Airport, Orange County (837)
Tampa International Airport (837)
William P. Hobby Airport (823)
Portland International Airport (814)
Medium Airports
Indianapolis International Airport (866)
Palm Beach International Airport (833)
Southwest Florida International Airport (829)
Albuquerque International Sunport (826)
Pittsburgh International Airport (826)
What about the airports at the bottom of each list?
In the mega category, Newark Liberty International Airport was at the bottom of the list, with a score of 733, just below Chicago O’Hare International Airport, which had a score of 758.
Among large airports, New York’s LaGuardia Airport (in the middle of a much-heralded make-over) ranked lowest, with a score of 712.
And for medium airports, Hawaii’s Kahului Airport was at the bottom of the list, with a 745 score.
Fall travel doesn’t look like it is going to involve much flying. And we suspect that concerns about COVID-19 will mean that most winter adventures will have to be put on hold as well.
But that’s not stopping us from celebrating cool features and amenities at airports in our ongoing “5 Things We Love About…” series.
So far, we’ve profiled more than 30 airports. And we’re reminded of how proud each of these airports is to be serving and representing their cities.
While we work on putting together more airport profiles, take a moment to visit some that have been featured so far.
And please let us know if there’s an airport you’d like to see featured.
The airport is located about 23 miles north of downtown Houston and is served by more than two dozen airlines offering flights to about 185 non-destinations.
Keep in mind that some of the amenities we list may be temporarily unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
If we miss one of the things you love about George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), be sure to leave a note in the comments section below.
5 Things We Love About George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
1. The art at IAH Airport
The Houston Airport System owns one of the largest collections of public art in Texas and a good amount of that art is on display at IAH Airport.
Travel Light – by The Art Guys Moonwalking Cow – Silvestri
https://player.vimeo.com/video/188034019
2. Live music at IAH Airport
The Harmony in the Air performing arts program at IAH presents live concerts in Terminal A, Northside Atrium, and in Terminal D, near gate D8.
Concerts are scheduled Monday through Friday and include classical, jazz, pop, and International music. See the IAH website for schedule and concert times.
3. The IAH Yoga studio
IAH has a yoga studio for passengers in Terminal A, near Gate A3.
4. Shopping at IAH
We’ve picked up some great souvenirs in the shops at IAH
5. The Inter-Terminal Train at IAH
All five terminals at IAH are connected by an above-ground automated people-mover (the Skyway) and the underground Subway, which dates to 1981 and runs on a circuit that makes a curving and somewhat amusing round-trip every 18 minutes.
As of September 2020, the subway was undergoing some major repairs, so the video below may be the closest you’ll get to this unusual ride for a while.
The Inter-Terminal Train at IAH has a great backstory.
In the late-1970s a Disney executive who traveled through IAH on a regular basis became irritated with the unreliable tram system then operating between terminals. Not long after, a Disney-made people mover opened at IAH.
That’s why Mickey Mouse was on hand for the subway’s opening day.
Did we miss one your favorite features or amenities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)? Be sure to leave a note in the comment section below.
Looking ahead: Will we ever be able to travel again? And, if so, what will that be like?
Will we ever be able to travel again? And, if so, what will that be like?
No one knows for sure, but an interesting group of travel experts is going to talk about it on October 7-8 during the online Travel 2021 Summit.
I am on the agenda talking about what airlines and airports are doing to make travelers feel safe now and what air travel may be like in the future.
First, a disclaimer. We went to the airport with a long list of photos to take, features and amenities to check up on, and favorite views and pieces of art to visit.
We’ve been isolating at home and in our neighborhood, so the crowds (yes, crowds) at the airport last Friday afternoon were a surprise. So were all people who were mask-less and oblivious to social-distancing despite clear signage and perfectly understandable overhead announcements. And, well, the state of the world.
So while we are pleased to see all the protocols and precautions the airport has tried to put in place, we cut the visit short.
But here are some notes on what we found in our hometown airport.
Courtesy SEA Airport
As expected, we saw lots of signs reminding people not to flock together and to put on their masks.
We noted too that there are new overhead announcements. Instead of local music celebrities and airport officials welcoming us to the airport, there are reminders of health-related protocols. Including a request to stand in the middle of the step when on an escalator.
There are now vending machines filled with personal protection items you may need on your trip.
We had meant to do some shopping at the airport in some of our favorite stores. Because – stores! But while we were glad to see Ex Officio is open in its new spot and Fireworks Gallery has friendly minders posted at both the entrance and the exit of the gift shop, we moved along to our scheduled appointments.
Cool new bathroom feature
We admit it. It was this new bathroom feature that really lured us out of the comfort zone of our home and past airport security.
Although we almost turned back once we saw how bunched up and pre-COVID disorganized things were around the screening machines.
Some other airports around the country already have Tooshlights installed in some restrooms.
But Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just got their first set.
As you can see from the photo, this invention lets you know if a restroom stall is open or not. Before COVID, it was appealing because it eliminates that awkward touching of all the doors or peeking under them to find an empty stall.
Now, the fact that you don’t have to touch doors and can easily see what’s open means less time spent in an enclosed space. There’s a bonus service here too: the locks collect information on how often each door opens and closes, so cleaning cycles can be lined up with use.
A new African-themed menu at the Africa Lounge
Courtesy SEA Airport
We made two other stops in the airport.
One was at the Africa Lounge on Concourse A. The taproom has been here since about 2005 and is a visual oasis in the busy concourse as well as a nice place to get cocktails and American fare.
Now there’s a new reason to stop by.
The Africa Lounge now has African food and drinks on the menu, including sambusas, which are Central African fried pastries filled with spicy beef or vegetables. The sides include fried plantains with tangy sauces and jollof rice, which is a West African staple made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices.
The Africa Lounge is also featuring a nice selection of South African wines, a handful of African-inspired cocktails, Ethiopian coffee, and an African music playlist.
Courtesy SEA Airport
The CLUB at SEA
We hope to go back and re-visit all the club lounges at SEA airport. But on this trip, we stopped into the South Satellite branch of The CLUB at SEA to see what’s new and different.
In addition to plastic partitions at the entry and touchless document reviews, the lounge is operating at half-capacity, with many seats blocked off. Even the coveted window bar has seating restrictions.
Cocktails are still being served at the cocktail window, but “nothing that needs to be shaken or stirred, such as margaritas,” said general manager Karen Law, “and no olives in martinis for now.”
Newspapers and magazines are gone too. Now guests can scan and upload a wide variety of papers and magazines to phone or laptops in many more languages than before.
Serve-yourself food is also out, for now, so staff members stand ready to hand guests pre-plated food and soft drinks from the fridge.
MSP sits on land that, back in 1914, was home to Snelling Speedway.
Auto racing gave way to airmail service and Speedway Field. In 1923 the airport was renamed Wold-Chamberlain Field in honor of two local pilots who lost their lives in combat during World War 1.
The airport’s first passenger service was in 1929 and in 1948 the MSP acquired its current name: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Please keep in mind that some of the amenities we feature here may be currently unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
5 Things We Love About Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
1. Award-winning restrooms at MSP
Clean bathrooms are an important airport amenity. Add art and an airport’s bathrooms can become something people talk about and give awards to.
That’s what happened when several sets of MSP restrooms were remodeled to feature stunning artist-made mosaics and the latest in cleaning technology.
In 2016, MSP Airport won first place in an annual contest that crowns America’s best public restroom. That was the first time an airport loo won the award.
2. The arts program at MSP
In 2019, MSP airport presented more than 900 live music and dance performances.
This summer, local authors began online readings from their books and Once the pandemic is over, the plan is to have monthly readings in the art gallery in the Airport Mall in Terminal 1.
3. The Prince store at MSP
The late musician Prince is a beloved Minnesota-born icon.
In addition to a giant 16-foot-by 24-foot mural of Prince by artist Rock Martinez, MSP airport also has a Prince store in Terminal 1 where fans can buy all sorts of Prince-branded merchandise.
The escalator is 55 feet tall, travels about 100 feet per minute and is capable of transporting 9,000 people per hour.
The ride – up or down – takes 1 minute and 15 seconds.
All rental car services, off-airport parking shuttles and all bus services are in the new Silver Ramp.
5. Animal ambassadors at MSP
98 therapy dogs – and a therapy cat named Stitches – serve as animal ambassadors at MSP airport, helping reduce travelers’ stress.
Bonus: The hotel at MSP Airport
MSP Airport has a hotel located between the inbound and outbound roadways at Terminal 1 with direct access to Concourse C via a skyway.
The 291-room, 12-story Intercontinental MSP Airport has two restaurants, a cocktail bar, a TSA checkpoint (currently closed due to COVID), a fitness center, a thermal pool, and a collection of work by local artists.
One thing MSP Airport does not have is an aircraft viewing area with an outdoor pool.
That was a great April Fools Day joke from 2018 that we’re still wishing might come true.
We're excited to announce our new aircraft viewing area with an outdoor pool! Tickets for entry will be available later this year. Check out https://t.co/qYS9EZv0f7 for more information. pic.twitter.com/rKqwuYdiuL
The airport’s main terminal is named for Barbara Jordan (pictured above on the airport’s trading card. Jordan was the first Black woman elected to the Texas state senate and the first Black Texan in Congress.
If we miss something you love at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), please leave a note in the comments section below. And keep in mind that some of the amenities we mention may currently be unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
And be sure to take a look at the other airports we’ve featured so far in the “5 Things We Love About...” series.
5 Things We Love About Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
1. The Live Music at AUS Airport
Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World” and that includes live music at the airport.
AUS’s Live Music in the Air series presents 31 (yes 31!) live music events a week in 7 airport venues.
During the annual SXSW festival there are bonus concerts at the airport. Once a year, there’s a Kid Band Week. There’s overhead music running all the time, courtesy of listener-support radio station KUTX (give a listen). And there’s an AUS Spotify playlist you can listen to as well.
The Live Music in the Air series is abbreviated for now, but we’re told when the full series comes back it will offer even more live music than before.
The only downside of all that live music at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)? You might have so much fun you’ll miss your plane.
We love all the art we’ve seen at AUS airport. But we especially enjoy Jill Bedgood’s “big hair” etchings found in some women’s restrooms at AUS. In some men’s rooms, you’ll find etchings of a variety of big hats.
Feel free to try them on. Everyone does.
3. Coffee Robots at AUS Airport
There are lots of places to get really great coffee at AUS airport.
But even before social-distancing was a thing, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport understood that sometimes it’s just fine if a robot, not a live person, hands you your coffee. In fact, it can be more fun.
Austin-based Briggo specialty coffee company has two robotic Coffee Haus units at AUS Airport, by Gate 12 and Gate 17.
Order on the app or at the machine and pick up your drink after you get a text from the coffee-making robot. The robots are on duty 24/7.
4. Great stuff to eat at AUS airport
Last year travelers ate 1,603,602 tacos at AUS airport.
The airport does a brisk business in brisket sandwiches and ice-cream as well.
Where to eat?
Some options at AUS include Amy’s Ice-Creams, Hut’s Hamburgers, Berry Austin, ippies and Hops, Earl Campbell’s Taco Truck, Salt Lick Barbecue and Tacodeli.
Brisket sandwich available at Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport
5. Outdoor patios at AUS
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) has outdoor patios at both the Barbara Jordan and South Terminals.
The 5,770-square-foot patio in the Barbara Jordan Terminal is on the mezzanine level between Gates 1-2 and, as a nice bonus, there’s an air-conditioned area.
Did we miss one of your favorite amenities at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport?
If so, leave a note in the comments section below and we’ll try to add it.
And be sure to take a look at some of the airports we’ve already featured in our “5 Things We Love About...” series. We’re adding more all the time.
Keep in mind that some of amenities may be currently unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
If we missed something you love about Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), please leave a note in the comments section below.
And if you have a suggestion for the next airport to be featured in our “5 Things We Love About…” series, we want to know!
BOS: 5 Things We Love About Boston Logan International Airport
“Flybe” by Jacob Kulin
1. Art at Boston Logan Int’l Airport
The public art program at BOS features both permanent pieces and temporary exhibitions and includes the Sports Wall, which celebrates sports championships and the Boston “T” Party exhibit, which invites travelers to take selfies and, of course, share them.
2. Rocking Chairs at BOS
Like many other airports now, Boston Logan International Airport has rocking chairs scattered about. Here, some of the rocking chairs are plain white while others are painted by artists.
3. Shopping at Boston Logan Int’l Airport
We love shopping for souvenirs at Boston Logan International Airport.
In addition to all the fun Boston-centric and lobster-themed gifts available, it is also possible to pick up live lobsters to-go at Legal Sea Foods. (Although this is one of the amenities temporarily unavailable due to COVID concerns.)
4. Family Friendly amenities at BOS
BOS has nursing pods in each terminal and Kidport play spaces in several terminals.
If your kids (or you) can’t sit still in a restaurant or can’t agree on what kind of food to eat, Boston Logan is one of the airports where you can have AtYourGate deliver food to you from eateries across all terminals.
5. The 9/11 Memorial at BOS
The Logan Airport 9/11 Memorial at Boston Logan International Airport honors the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175. These two planes departed Logan Airport for Los Angeles on September 11, 2001 and were hijacked by terrorists who flew them into the World Trade Towers in New York.
The memorial was dedicated on September 9, 2008 and is 20-by-20-foot glass cube that glows with a soft light at night. Inside the cube are two glass panels etched with the names of the people who were on each flight.
The memorial is in a small, park-like area between Terminal A and the Hilton Boston Logan Airport and is open 24 hours.
Our “5 Things We Love About…” series celebrates features and amenities at airports around the country and the world.
Today we land at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport (SNA), located in Santa Ana, about 35 miles south of Los Angeles, between the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach, and 14 miles from Disneyland.
Keep in mind that some of the amenities we mention at SNA Airport may not be available due to current health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
If we miss a feature that you love at John Wayne Airport (SNA), please let us know in the comments sections. And if there’s an airport you’d like to see featured in the series, please speak up.
SNA: 5 Things We Love About John Wayne Airport.
1. The OC Air Pass
We’re not sure why didn’t know this, but John Wayne Airport has a gate pass program, the OC AirPASS, which allows guests without boarding passes access to the secure side of the Terminal.
The program is currently still operating, which means pass-holders can shop, dine, watch planes, and send off or greet friends and relatives at their gates from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To apply for a pass, check-in at Information Booth B in Terminal B (Lower Level, Baggage Claim) with a valid government-issued ID.
2. Live music at John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport has an impressive roster of professional musicians who perform live in the Terminal as part of the JWAlive program.
Twice a month these performances are live-streamed on Facebook and Instagram as well.
For a sampling, here’s Bill Withers’ ‘Lovely Day’ performed by the JWAlive musicians.
https://youtu.be/HHAZNd_Iraw
3. THE JWA AirPAWS team
John Wayne Airport launched its AirPAWS Therapy Dog Program in late February 2020. The program works in partnership with Orange County Animal Allies to bring trained therapy dogs to the airport terminal to make everyone’s journey a little less stressful.
4. The JWA Art Program
Flight of Ideas, by Beth Nybeck
In addition to permanent public art installations in the terminal, the art program at John Wayne airport hosts museum-quality exhibitions in the terminal throuhgou the year.
Some of the hang glides on display at JWA
5. The Helping Hands program at SNA
Traveling through an airport is usually fun and exciting. But all those people, the bright lights, the odd noises, the security checkpoint experience, and the crowds can be overstimulating and overwhelming.
John Wayne Airport has a program called “Helping Hands” to help people especially sensitive to these situations and those traveling with people who may have a hidden disability, such as autism.
The Helping Hands team can do a lot to help make the airport journey smoother. The team can also provide an optional yellow bracelet to signal to airport employees that they may need to spend a little more time helping the bracelet wearer with for check-in, security screening, or other activities.
Did we miss one of your favorite features at John Wayne Airport (SNA)? Don’t forget to add it in the comments section below.
