Contests

Orlando Airport pin exchange + Win a Tokyo trip

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In March 2024, Orlando International Airport (MCO) joined the Pin Trading world with its very own line of collectible “MCO Icons” pins.

Since then, travelers have picked up pins (and pairs of the airport’s snazzy socks) through occasional giveaways and pin exchanges online and onsite.

Here’s another chance to get those goodies.

There’s an MCO Pop-Up Pin Exchange scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, between noon and 2 pm.

Travelers who stop by Level 3 – by the fountain – can trade their enamel pins for pins from the MCO Icons Collection and some new edition pins.

As a nice bonus, extra prizes – including some snazzy new MCO socks – will be awarded to those who spin the prize wheel.

(Note: the pin exchanges is limited to 3 pins per customer, while supplies last).

Win a trip from Seattle to Tokyo

To celebrate the new Alaska Airlines nonstop service between Seattle and Tokyo-Narita, operated by Hawaiian Airlines on Airbus A330-200 aircraft, Seattle’s much-adored Westland Distillery is hosting a digital sweepstakes.

Entries to the Fly West, Land in Tokyo sweepstakes can be made through July 31, 2025.

One grand prize winner will receive two Alaska Air roundtrip vouchers from any major US city to Tokyo, Japan, plus four nights at a premium double-occupancy hotel in Tokyo. The prize also includes $500 for incidentals and ground transportation and a Westland travel kit.

(The sweepstakes is open to all 50 U.S. states plus D.C.; entrants must be 21 or older.)

While you’re waiting to win, you might want to try the new Narita Banana cocktail being offered exclusively at the Alaska Airlines lounge on the N Concourse.

Created in collaboration with Tokyo’s celebrated cocktail bar Tokyo Confidential, the cocktail features Westland’s Flagship American Single Malt, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, rich simple syrup, milk and a pinch of salt.

San Jose Int’l Airport lets you dress up baby chicks

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In 1949, the first commercial flight that landed at San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) carried two pilots, seven passengers … and 2,550 baby chickens.

For the airport’s 75th anniversary – in 2024 – SJC introduced a modern flock of baby chick characters.

And now Ernie + Friends are featured on a new digital platform spotlighting the airport’s services.

Ernie’s Runway allows users to design and dress up their very own SJC Baby Chicks with more than one million different travel-themed outfits, accessories and backdrops, then save and share their creations and enter contests to win prizes.

Give it a try with SJC’s Summer Sweepstakes, where prizes include Ernie plushies, SJC socks and other fund items.



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Decline to recline for courtesy & prizes

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It’s that age-old travel debate: recline or decline?

After having one too many meals and laptops ruined by airplane seat recliners, the Stuck at The Airport team is squarely in the “don’t recline” camp.

The folks at La-Z-Boy, the furniture company that invented the home recliner nearly 100 years ago, get it.

And they’re running a holiday season campaign to convince airplane passengers to sign a pledge to NOT recline on domestic flights.

Anyone who signs the pledge at BanReclining.com, passengers can win one of five prize packages that include a free La-Z-Boy recliner (valued up to $1,000) and a $500 airfare credit.  

Are you in?

It’s all ducky at San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport

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A 10-foot-tall inflatable baby chicken now roosts in the Terminal B Baggage Claim area at San José Mineta International Airport (SJC).

Photogenic and Instagrammable, the chick is there as part of the airport’s “Baby Chickens Take Flight at SJC” 75th Anniversary campaign, and is a call-back to the airport’s first flight.

On Feb. 1, 1949, San José Municipal Airport opened its runways to commercial air service with an official dedication ceremony.

The first arriving flight carried seven human passengers and 2,550 baby chickens.

The inflatable baby chicken complements other festive decorations including over 1,000 baby chicken window clings and four 7-foot-tall standees installed throughout the terminals.

In addition to the 10-foot inflatable chick, SJC has decorated the terminal with more than 1,000 baby chicken window clings and four 7-foot-tall standing chicks.

Passengers and airport visitors who snap a photo with a baby chick and post it on social media using #sjc75 and #PicWithABabyChick tags will be entered to win a commemorative SJC 75th anniversary swag pack. (We hear there may be socks…)

(Deadline: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Limit one post per social media platform.)

      
  

Leap Year Flight Deal + Eclipse Flight Contest

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How to see the eclipse from a Southwest Airlines flight

Much of the United States will be able to see a total or partial eclipse on April 8, 2024.

But wouldn’t it be great to see the eclipse from the air?

Some lucky ducks will get that opportunity. Including the winners of a “Solarbration” sweepstakes hosted by Southwest Airlines and Omni Hotels & Resorts.

Entering is free and the two winners will each get a prize package for two that includes air travel on a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas or Austin that is predicted to be in the direct path of the eclipse. Winners will also get to stay in an eclipse-themed Omni Hotels & Resorts hotel room. If you don’t live in one of Dallas or Austin, Southwest says it will get you there too. (See the rules and restrictions)

Enter the Southwest/Omni Hotels Solarbration sweepstakes by 8 a.m. CT on March 11, 2025.

Good luck!

LEAP YEAR FLIGHT DEAL

Qantas has a Leap Day Sale sale running for 24 hours – from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm PST on February 29, 2024.

The sale offers $250 off round-trip economy cabin flights to Australia and New Zealand from the carrier’s U.S. gateways. Some restrictions and blackout days apply. To take advantage, enter the code ‘LEAPDAY’ in the ‘have a promo code?’ prompt at the top of the flight search results page. This could help you save on these flights:

·         Los Angeles to Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. 

·         Dallas/Fort Worth to Sydney or Melbourne. 

·         San Francisco to Sydney. 

·         New York (JFK) to Sydney (via Auckland) 


 

Frontier Airlines has Taylor Swift tickets + more travel tidbits

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Ready for the weekend?

Listen to a podcast series about the role of Latino history and culture in aviation and space. Take an airport art tour. And enter Frontier Airlines’ sweepstakes to win a trip to attend a Taylor Swift concert.

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has launched “AeroEspacial,” a limited series of its “AirSpace” podcast that focuses on stories of Latino history and culture at the heart of aviation and space.

The four-part series is being produced in both English and Spanish and follows the museum’s 5-part “QueerSpace” series, which was released in February 2022.

Here’s the “AeroEspacial” Episode Schedule

  • July 13: In the early 1960s, thousands of unaccompanied children fled Cuba by plane, moving to the United States on visa waivers from the U.S. government. This episode explores the role of aviation in Operation Pedro Pan.
  • July 27: Arecibo Observatory is the pride of Puerto Rico’s science community. Following the devastating collapse of the observatory’s radio telescope, this episode explores the history, science and social importance of Arecibo.
  • Aug. 10: Latino Futurist artists use their mediums to imagine futures unlike the present, using art to create a society that is whole and inclusive in a way reality is not. This episode explores art from Latino creatives at the intersection of space and culture.
  • Aug. 24: In recent expansions of the Star Wars universe, Latino actors and storylines have taken center stage. From Arturito to “Andor,” this episode explores the past and present of Latino representation in Star Wars.

Here’s the QueerSpace podcast list:

Art tour at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

 Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) now has a virtual art tour that highlights the airport’s art collection of 17 two-dimensional pieces of art and three-dimensional sculptures, all representing the themes of textiles, technology, and water.

There are QR codes located near each art piece in the terminal that link to an audio description of the work, information about the artists, and the significance of the artwork within the region. The art tour is also accessible via the GSP airport website.

Taylor Swift fan? Frontier Airlines is giving away two tickets

Frontier Airlines has launched a sweepstakes to give away tickets to Taylor Swift’s August 7 The Eras Tour show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

The winner will receive two concert tickets, two roundtrip flights, two nights of lodging, and $500 in spending money.

https://twitter.com/FlyFrontier/status/1679522662245101568?s=20

Flush with pride: an airport lav is a finalist for America’s Best Restroom.

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Best places to go when you have to ‘go’

A clean public restroom can be a rare find when you’re in an airport, a restaurant, a theme park, a highway rest stop, a museum, or a mall.

It can be even more difficult to find a clean public restroom that also has some character, wit, and charm.

That’s why the Stuck at the Airport team of restroom reviewers always pays attention to the list of finalists in the annual America’s Best Restroom contest.

In 2022, Tampa International Airport (TPA) took the throne for a new set of Airside C restrooms featuring high-res images of quintessential Florida flora.

2023 List of Finalists for America’s Best Restroom

There’s also an airport on the list of the 10 finalists for the 2023 America’s Best Restroom Contest: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

New restrooms at BWI feature an entrance with a seating area for travelers to wait for their companions. Inside, the restrooms have bright, spacious, fully enclosed stalls for privacy, touchless fixtures and individual lactation, adult changing, and family assist rooms.

Here is a list of the other 9 public restrooms in the running for the 2023 America’s Best Restroom Contest.

Be sure to vote for your favorite by August 11.

Clear Lake and Des Moines River Safety Rest Areas in Jackson, Minnesota

Drusie & Darr, Nashville, Tennessee – Restaurant

El Rio, San Francisco, California – Bar

Frying Pan, New York, New York – Lightship

Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Company, Melbourne, Florida

Juban’s Creole Restaurant, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah

Rabbit Hole, Greenville, South Carolina – Bar

Snowbasin Ski Resort, Huntsville, Utah

Contest celebrates the 30th anniversary of ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ with trips to Seattle and New York

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It is the 30th anniversary of the June 1993 theatrical release of the hit movie Sleepless in Seattle.

And the Empire State Building and the Space Needle, and their respective cities, are celebrating the movie and their roles in it with the simultaneous lighting of both landmarks; special screenings of the film; activations at both attractions; and a sweepstakes that will grant two lucky winners a weeklong trip to both Seattle and New York City.

Sleepless in Seattle Anniversary Events

Here are some of the anniversary events on tap:

  • June 30: “It’s a Sign” – On June 30 at sunset, both the Empire State Building and the Space Needle will light up together. The Space Needle in red and the Empire State Building in lavender + red with a heart spinning in the tower’s mast to resemble the original movie artwork and the “sign” that led the movie’s Annie Reed character back to the top of the Empire State Building. 
  • Special Anniversary Screenings – On July 1 at 9:30 p.m., Seattle Center will screen Sleepless in Seattle at the Mural Amphitheater. Visitors to the Empire State Building Observatory will be able to purchase tickets to view Sleepless in Seattle from a private area on the 80th Floor on July 9 at 9 p.m. (More information here).
  • Recreate the Magic: From June 29 through July 3, visitors to both the Empire State Building Observatory and the Space Needle can recreate the iconic movie poster from Sleepless in Seattle as they pose for their authentic shot. From June 30 through July 2 there will also be themed cocktails on the menu at the Space Needle Bar.
  • And of course: the Sleepless in Seattle Sweepstakes:  Enter the Sleepless in Seattle sweepstakes now through midnight July 21 at sleepless30.com. One winner will be randomly selected and announced on August 7 and will receive a six-night trip for two to both Seattle and New York City, with flights provied by Alaska Airlines.
  • In Seattle, the experience will include a three-night stay at The Pan Pacific Hotel in Downtown Seattle and a VIP tour of Space Needle with dinner for two at the upscale Loupe Lounge on the world’s first and only revolving glass floor. Bonus prizes include CityPass tickets and a $500 gift card towards experiencing the movie’s iconic locations, including the world-famous Pike Place Market, Alki Beach and Gas Works Park.  
  • In New York City the experience will include a three-night stay at the five-star Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue; two weekly unlimited Metro cards and CityPass tickets, an all-access tour of the Empire State Building followed by a special prix fixe dinner with wine pairing at STATE Grill & Bar, the Empire State Building’s signature restaurant. 
  • Whether or not you’re a Sleepless in Seattle fan, this would be a great adventure. So enter here.
     

Sleepless in Seattle Souvenirs

Even after 30 years, there are plenty of places in Seattle to get Sleepless in Seattle souvenirs.

Our favorite is at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA), where thousands of Sleepless in Seattle nightshirts are sold in the gift shops each year.

Eclipse Contest: See it in Cleveland

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Win a Trip to See The Eclipse From Cleveland

Want to be in the path of totality during the total solar eclipse happening on April 8, 2024?

Cleveland will be one of the prime viewing locations, with unobstructed views over Lake Erie and more than three minutes of total darkness.

And Destination Cleveland has created an interactive game where you can enter to win an overnight stay to witness the celestial event.  

The interactive Road Trip to CLE game races you through Cleveland with a mission to make it Downtown before the moon totally blocks out the sun.

The prize includes and overnight stay for up to four people at a Downtown Cleveland hotel on April 8, 2024; tickets to two Cleveland attractions, a $50 gift card to a Downtown Cleveland restaurant, and up to four pairs of Solar Eclipse glasses. 

To enter: Play the Roadtrip to CLE game. Share your score to either Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #SolarEclipseCLE by the end of the contest on Friday, May 26, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. The winner be will be randomly chosen on or about Monday, June 5, 2023, from among all eligible entries.

Good luck!

Hurry to Help Name Tampa Int’l Airport’s Flamingo

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One of the best art addition to an airport this past year is a 21-foot-tall flamingo in the main terminal at Tampa International Airport (TPA).

While the artwork by Mathew Mazzotta is named Home, the flamingo itself arrived nameless. So a few weeks back, Tampa International Airport invited the public to come up with some suggestions.

And, wow, they did.

The panel of judges was faced with more than 65,000 entries. And, after an initial delay, has now settled on three finalists: Cora, Finn, and Phoebe.

Here’s the reasoning behind those suggestions:

  • Cora – Submitted by Glorianne P.: “Because the official name of the art piece is ‘Home’, we can expand on that and consider the phrase ‘Home is Where the Heart is.’ Cora is short for Corazon, which translates to heart in Spanish.“
  • Finn – Submitted by Braxton W.: “Finn the flamingo has the perfect ring to it. Every time I see a flamingo, it looks like they have fins on their feet that they forgot to take off. It always makes me laugh.”
  • Phoebe – Submitted by James M.: “A play on Phoenicopterus – the flamingo’s scientific name ‘Phoebe’ is also a playful alliterative to flamingo and means brilliantly inquisitive. The overall ‘Home’ sculpture is literally brilliant and reveals the flamingo’s inquisitiveness as it hunts for food in the shallows.”

Want to vote on the winner? You’d better hurry.

To vote for your favorite, go to NameTheFlamingo.com by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 2, 2023.

The winning name that receives the most votes will be revealed after January 2.

The flamingo’s prize will be a name. The person whose suggestion is chosen will be awarded a variety of prizes including roundtrip tickets for 4 on Silver Airways and a VIP Experience package for four to Busch Gardens.