Uncategorized

Friday roundup: travel tidbits from airports near you

Uncategorized, , , ,

Happy Friday. Here are some airport tidibits we’ve gathered through through the week.

Another airport adopts a mascot

San Antonio International Airport (SAT) introduces its first ever mascot: an airplane named Jett.

Not to be confused with Jett the SEA Otter, the mascot for Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Dublin Airport honors iconic Irish musicians

Dublin Airport (DUB) – where the mascot Dubby, the Irish Hare, hopped onto the scene in February, 25 – debuted a new music wall dedicated to iconic Irish artists.

Qantas will fly from Las Vegas to Australia

Christmas is coming early to Las Vegas.

Qantas announced this week that it will fly the first non-stop flights between Las Vegas and Sydney, Australia from December 29, 2026 through mid-March 12, 2027.

The approximately 15 hour and 15 minute flight from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Sydney Airport (SYD) will operate three times a week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Fresh exhibit at IND Airport’s KIND Gallery

Indianapolis International Airport (IND) has a new cultural exhibition highlighting more than three decades of iconic performances, rare memorabilia and Hoosier cultural moments from the historic Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The exhibition is on display now through July 9, 2026 and features many items from the private collection of Indianapolis-based historian and collector Thomas Fontain.

Included is memorabilia from the Beatles’ appearance at the Indiana State Fair in 1964 and from shows by Sonny and Cher, the Beachboys, David Cassidy, Johnny Cash, the Osmonds, Jimi Hendrix, the Jackson 5 and other State Fair favorites.

(Photo up top courtesy San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives)

The “Freedom Plane” will fly Founding-era documents to 8 U.S. cities

History, Uncategorized

A lot of events are taking place to mark the country’s 250th birthday and this tour offers visitor in multiple cities a chance to see a bundle of rare and historic Founding-era documents all in one place.

A Boeing 737 with a special Freedom Plane livery and a cargo that includes a half dozen historic documents linked to founding of the United States will take off from Washington, D.C. next month and make stops in 8 cities.

The original articles going on tour as part of the “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation ” traveling exhibition are usually housed at the National Archives and have never traveled together before.

They include:

  • An original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence, 1823.

One of only about 50 known engraved copies of the Declaration of Independence, printed from a copperplate of the original

  • Articles of Association, 1774

Signed by all 53 delegates, the Articles of Association urged colonists to boycott British goods and was the Continental Congress’s first major unified act of resistance against Britain.

  • George Washington’s, Alexander Hamilton’s, and Aaron Burr’s Oaths of Allegiance, 1778

Oaths of Allegiance that all officers of the Continental Army signed during the Revolutionary War. 

  • Treaty of Paris, 1783

Signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, this Treaty with Great Britain formally recognized the United States as an independent nation.

  • Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form, 1787

A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution in draft form, with the delegate’s handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. 

  • Tally of Votes Approving the Constitution, 1787

The voting records of the Constitutional Convention reflecting the debates, resolutions, and eventual vote on the final text that would become the Constitution. 

Here are cities the “Freedom Plane” will visit:

The exhibition is touring from March through August 2026 and will be free and open to the public at all eight venues listed below. The first stop is the National WWII Museum and Memorial, from March 6 though March 22, the final stop is July 30 through August 16 at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle, WA.

To get tickets, visit the individual museum websites.

Here’s the full line-up:

Kansas City, MO: National WWI Museum and Memorial: Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 22

Atlanta, GA: Atlanta History Center: Friday, March 27 – Sunday, April 12

Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art: Friday, April 17 – Sunday, May 3

Houston, TX: Houston Museum of Natural Science: Friday, May 8 – Monday, May 25 

Denver, CO: History Colorado Center: Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, June 14 

Miami, FL: HistoryMiami Museum: Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, July 5 

Dearborn, MI: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation: Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 26 

Seattle, WA: Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI): Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 16 

Document images courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Ready for Valentine’s Day? OAK Airport is.

Uncategorized

Airports and airlines will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year.

But Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) and Southwest Airlines are getting a head start by bringing back a free Valentine Day’s mailing service for the second year in a row.

Through Wednesday, February 11, passengers traveling through OAK can pick up free OAK-themed postcards to write love letters to their sweethearts.

Then they can drop those cards in Valentine-themed drop boxes located at Gate 3, Gate 14, Gate 20 and Gate 27/28.

All valentines collected by the end of the day on February 11 will be mailed, at no cost to passengers, in time to arrive by Valentine’s Day (Saturday, February 14).

Sweet!

A rare glimpse of Wonder Woman’s invisible plane

Aviation history, Uncategorized, ,

Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane is a rare gem in the collection of Seattle’s Museum of Flight.

Acquired by the museum in April 1, 2013, the museum keeps this curious and precious artifact in a secret location and rarely puts it on display.

But the departure of the large-scale MiG-21 Project featuring a decommissioned Soviet MiG-21 fighter jet covered in millions of colored glass beads has made room for a temporary showing of the invisible plane in the museum’s Aviation Pavilion.

According to Museum of Flight records, Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane was originally referred to as the Silent Invisible Plane. It is a propeller driven aircraft that can fly faster than 2000 mph and features navigational devices such as a robot control pilot, a locascope and an electronic mist beam.

When at the controls, Wonder Woman commands course and flight paths with telepathic signals and electronic devices in her tiara.

Here’s a fun video from the time the Museum of Flight loaned Wonder Woman’s invisible plane to the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum for a one day exhibit ten years ago, on April 1, 2015.

TSA’s Top 10 ‘Catches’ of 2025

TSA, Uncategorized,

Bullets hidden in strawberry Nesquik and tinfoil, a shot gun concealed in a golf bag and, the classic – drugs tucked inside shoes – all made it onto the Transportation Security Administration’s recently released Top 10 list of best ‘catches’ for 2025.

Here’s the full list, in countdown order, along with airport where the offending items were found.

 10. Bullets and knives in aluminum foil, found at both Ohio’s Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)      

9. Firearm in a golf bag, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) 


 8. Bullets in Nesquik, Miami International Airport (MIA)

 

7. Knife in a car seat, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
     

 6. Pills in a shampoo bottle, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) 


 

5. Knife in a knee brace, Illinois’ Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) 

4. Drugs in shoes, Hawaii’s Kona International Airport (KOA)


      

3. Razor blades in clothes, Denver International Airport (DEN)
      

2. Turtles in pants and bra, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Miami International Airport (MIA)


 

And the Number 1 item on TSA’s Top Ten list for 2025:    

Explosive replicas at Boise Airport (BOI)

Per the agency’s tradition, the TSA also made a video of the Top 10 catches for 2025.

TSA’s annual Top Ten list was started back in 2016, with the release of this entertaining video hosted by TSA’s corny but endearing social media specialist Bob Burns.

One airport goes big, another raises the bar

Airport design, Uncategorized,

ONT Airport goes bigger and bolder with its welcome sign

SInce 1998, the sign that welcomed travelers to Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California was sort of mousy and looked like this.

Now, as part of its campaign to up its visibility in real life and in passengers’ minds, the very charming and convenient airport that sits just 35 miles from Los Angeles welcomes travelers with a bigger and bolder sign.

This one has 12-foot-tall letters featuring the “ONT” airport code in blue and is backed by sculpted mountain forms inspired by the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.

The sign stretches out 60 feet, weighs more than 8 tons and has LED light bars that will light the sign at night and change colors for holidays, special events and community celebrations.

Nice!

Reno-Tahoe International Airport raised the bar

As you may imagine, a lot of unusual things pass through airports in checked and carry on bags and in cargo.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) shared this image of some of the 14 to 18-foot poles that came through the airport with more than 1,000 athletes on their way to the annual Pole Vault Summit.

Quite a sight!

Places we’d stay: Waldorf Astoria New York

Hotels, Uncategorized

Greetings from freezing cold New York City.

The Stuck at the Airport team is in town for work, eating and exploring.

Our first stop: The Waldforf Astoria New York.

Reopened, restored, ‘reimagined’ ( as they say) but, ultimately, rewarding – even if you just get to visit the lobby with the 1893 World’s Fair clock in the center.

Our visit included a peek at the public areas for the swank residences at the property, which run from $1.875 million for a studio to over $18 million for a four bedrooms with a Park Avenue view.

Our favorite part of the tour: the residents-only 25-meter swmming pool on the 25th floor, with skylights, art deco design and a fitness center, saunas and steam room nearby.

Nice, right??

Free movies at these airports

Movies, Uncategorized, , ,

Sadly, you can no longer watch first-run films at the Skyport Cinema, which operated from the early 1950s into the mid-1970s Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).

Nor can you stop into the three movie theaters (and the skating rink) that operated from 1975 until 1978 in the lobby area of the Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), after most airlines moved over to the then-new Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

But these days you can watch movies for free at these U.S. airports:

Microcinema at Portland International Airport (PDX)

The PDX Airport Microcinema, a branch of Portland, Oregon’s Hollywood Theatre movie palace, has been operating at Portland International Airport (PDX) since 2017.

The 22-seat cinema is on Concourse C and showcases short films (10 minutes or less) by Pacific Northwest filmmakers or films relating to issues in Oregon or the Pacific Northwest. Admission is free.

Check here for the current line-up.

See18 Cinema at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

In 2014, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) opened its “See 18” Screening Room near Gate C18.

Films still run around-the-clock and feature short films and award-winning documentaries by filmmakers from the Upper Midwest.

You can preview the current offerings before you head to the airport, or watch them online. Admission is free.

Video Arts at San Francisco International Airport

The SFO Museum at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has a Video Arts program that runs four short (10 minutes or less) films per month by contemporary artists and filmmakers.

The film gallery is located pre-security on the departures level of International Terminal and operates daily from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.

You can preview the list of offerings before you go the airport, or watch them online. Admission is free.

Here’s one of the short animated films currently on view:

Airport tidbits + a hot museum

Uncategorized

Oklahoma City Airport

OKC Airport fun facts

We love the souvenir “Tornado Seeds” (candy) we picked up at Will Rogers International Airport (OKC).

And the huge terrazzo floor installation by Matt Goad celebrating Oklahoma’s history and culture.

But there are some other fun facts the OKC officials want you know.

There’s a free plan spotting area at OKC, the airport houses the FAA’s national training center and the airport is “built tough” for Tornado Alley.

Dallas Love Field opens an airport restaurant ‘first’

A dual-branded Applebees/IHOP restaurant opens this week at Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL). That makes DAL the first airport in the world offer this combo.

Located on the public access side of the airport, between bag claim area and the TSA security checkpoint, the restaurant allows you to mix and match from two menus at any time. If that’s what you need to do…

And celebrate a ‘first’ at Philadelphia’s Fireman’s Hall Museum

The Philadelphia Historic District has put together an impressive list of ‘firsts’ that originated in the city.

Coming up on January 17 is a celebration of the country’s first Volunteer Fire Company, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1736.

The party takes place at Fireman’s Hall Museum, which is housed in a firehouse that dates back to 1902.

The museum displays vintage fire engines and fire fighting apparatus, alarm boxes, uniforms and fire house and engine models. There’s also a great collection of “fire marks,” which were decorative badges once issued by insurance companies to mark properties insured for fire.

Three museums on our 2026 “go” list

Uncategorized, ,

We’re still in travel planning mode for 2026 and, as always, we’re putting a lot of museums on list.

Here are few we’d love to visit.

Olympic Museum

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026 in a variety of Northern Italian cities, including Milan (Milano) and rhe mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

So this might be a good year to visit to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, which is home to the world’s largest Olympic collection.

The museum displays the very first Olympic flag (1913), Olympics torches from every set of games since 1936, an exhibit on Olympic mascots and offers lots of interactive activities.

For the 2026 Winter Olympic games, the museum has created a downloadable guide and an on-site trail and exhibition inside the museum and out, in the museum’s Olympic Park, that celebrates the Olympic games held in Italy in 1956, 1960, 2006 and 2026.

The exhibition includes sculptures, photographs, the official 2026 torch, mascots and other artifacts.

(Images courtesy of the Olympic Museum)

Mississippi’s Smallest Museum

We received a short message from the folks in Hattiesburg, Mississippi about the Pocket Museum, which evidently began in a window down an alley.

Now Mississippi’s smallest museum has grown, a bit, and is now a destination.

The alley has a Pocket Theater, super-short films viewable through an eyepiece embedded in the wall, miniature dioramas, a Pocket Gallery, a Pocket Dance Spot and more.

Right now, one of the features in the pocket museum is small small scale art by @gigigunns_art in honor of Edgar Allen Poe’s January 19 birthday.

The Poe Museum

Since we’ve mentioned Edgar Allen Poe, let’s put the Poe Museum, which is housed in the oldest residential building in Richmond, VA, on the “let’s visit” wish list for 2026.

The museum collection includes Poe’s pocket watch, a fragment of his coffin, letters, manuscripts, first editions, his boot hooks, his waitcoast and more.

Have a favorite museum to add to the list? Let us know in the comment section below.