Airports

Tidbits for Travelers

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at PHL Airport

Now through October 15, 2024, watch for events at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) celebrating Hispanic and Latino culture.

The lineup includes craft workshops, salsa dance lessons, heritage talks and samplings of churros and other foods from around the world. See the full schedule here.

JetBlue plans to open lounges in NY and Boston

JetBlue is (finally) joining the airport lounge world with newly-announced plans to open a lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 5 in late 2025 and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) Terminal C soon after.

Who will be able to use the JetBlue lounges?

JetBlue says complimentary access to the lounges will be available to holders of a new premium JetBlue credit card, TrueBlue Mosaic 4 members and passengers flying in Mint on transatlantic flights.

TrueBlue Mosaic 4 members and premium JetBlue credit card holders will be able to bring in a guest for free. Annual passes will be available. Day passes and guest passes will be available for purchase by “eligible customers” based on space availability, according to JetBlue. More details to come.

Places we’d go: National Comic Book Day

National Comic Book Day is coming up on September 25 and that makes it a good time to visit the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) in Santa Rosa, CA, where we encountered fun statues of Lucy and Snoopy.

The Charles M. Schulz Museum is nearby, with 3 changing gallery spaces and permanent exhibitions that include Schulz’s recreated studio, a Christo-wrapped Snoop dog house The Peanuts Tile Mural by Japanese artist Yoshiteru Otani featuring an image of Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown composed of 3,588 Peanuts comic strip images printed on individual 2 x 8-inch ceramic tiles.

The museum also has a skating pavilion open to the public.

Which airports do travelers love the most?

It turns out that Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) can win passengers’ hearts even without the promised aircraft viewing area with a pool announced on April Fools Day a few years back.

In the J.D. Power 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, MSP ranks highest in passenger satisfaction in the ‘mega-airport’ category, followed by Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) ranks highest among large airports, followed by Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Kansas City International Airport  (MCI).

Indianapolis International Airport (IND) ranks highest among medium airports (for the 3rd year in a row), Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) ranks second and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) ranks third.

“Huge air travel demand has not slowed down in North America, despite the steadily rising costs of flights, ground travel, hotel rooms and pretty much anything you can buy in an airport,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power. “Most travelers are still enjoying the experience. However, we are starting to see a breaking point in consumer spending, with the average spend per person in the terminal declining significantly from a year ago.”

The annual study calculates traveler satisfaction with North American airports in seven categories. In order of importance, those categories are ease of travel through the airport; level of trust with the airport; terminal facilities; airport staff; departure/to airport experience; food, beverage and retail; and the experience arriving at and leaving the airport.

The full lists are posted below so you can see where your favorite ranks this year.

Where is the world’s busiest airport?

A preliminary list was released in April. And, as it did then, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) tops the list for passenger traffic, followed by Dubai International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth.

Eight airports from the top 20 rankings are in the United States. And, according to the report, the biggest jump in the top 20 rankings is Incheon International Airport. The airport soared from the 99th position in 2022 to the 20th spot in 2023.

See the full list below of the 20 busiest airports in 2023.

Greetings from Nashville Intl Airport (BNA)

The Stuck at the Airport team spent the weekend exploring Nashville International Airport (BNA) and testing out the airport’s brand new BNA PASSport gate pass program from our base at the new Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal.

The hotel is on the plaza between the terminal and the covered parking garage. Just outside the hotel is an aviation-themed playground, a large fenced area for dogs, chair swings and other spaces to hang out before or after a flight.

Our corner room was super comfy and quiet. And it provided a great perch to watch airplanes coming and going from the gates.

The hotel has a lovely restaurant and a lobby bar that features occasional live music. On the 9th floor, there’s a well-equipped fitness center with views of downtown and the airport. And, on the 10th floor, the hotel’s best feature: the BNA Sky Pavilion. The rooftop has a pool, a fire pit, indoor and outdoor seating, a bar and great views of the runways, the downtown skyline and the surrounding area. While we were there, we even spotted fireworks off in the distance.

The BNA PASSport program

BNA debuted its guest pass program, called BNA PASSport, on July 1 and is issuing 75 visitor passes a day to non-ticketed passengers.

We used our pass on Friday evening to explore the airport’s restaurants, bars and shops.

We had dinner and stopped to listen to live music on at least four stages in various airport restaurants and bars. The airport’s ‘drinks to go’ policy meant we could easily mosey with our cocktails from one stage to the next. And the fact that bottles of really great Tennessee whiskey are sold in seemingly every airport gift shop made us a wee bit sorry we were traveling with only carry-on luggage.

Stay tuned for the story of the surprise in-store event some passengers were treated to during our BNA visit.

Visit this airport, & others, without a plane ticket

This month Nashville International Airport (BNA) joins the list of airports with a guest pass program.

The BNA Passport guest pass program allows a non-ticketed guest to go through the TSA security checkpoint like a ticketed passenger into the secure side of the airport.

No more than 75 visitor passes a day are being issued. But those who do get them can greet an arriving passenger at the gate, hang with a friend or family member until they need to board their plane or take the opportunity to explore the art, shops, and dining at the airport without lugging around a carry-on bag or worrying about catching a flight.

The Stuck at the Airport team has already applied for a pass and will be touring the airport on Friday. So stay tuned for our report.

In the meantime, here is a list of other airports with guest pass programs. Each program has its own rules, but for BNA’s guest pass program and those below, you’ll need to fill out an online form and give some personal information, usually name, birthdate and gender.

If the TSA clears you, you’ll get instructions for getting through the checkpoint without a ticket to fly.

Airports with Guest Pass Programs

Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA): SEA Visitor Pass Program

The MSY Guest Pass Program at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY),

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW): DTW Destination Pass

Capital Region International Airport (LAN) in Lansing, MI: the LAN Visitor Pass,

Flint Bishop Airport (FNT) in Flint, Michigan: FNT Visitor Pass program

OC Air Pass at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, CA,

ONT+ Visitor Pass Program at California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT)

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP): PSP Stay and Play Pass

Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco, WA offers the PSC Pass

Philadelphia International Aiport offers the PHL Wingmate Pass

Tulsa International Airport (TUL): TUL Visitor Pass Program

Orlando International Airport (MCO): Experience MCO Visitor Pass

Did we miss any? Let us know.