This mural by Tasha Beckwith honors Indianapolis hair-care entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker, who is credited as being the first female self-made millionaire in America.
These Lounge-Like Chairs
These powered privacy chairs are usually seen in airline lounges. At IND you’ll find them in a gate hold area.
This Free Pop-a-Shot Basketball Game
At IND’s pre-security Civic Plaza, the Indiana Pacers Courtside Club celebrates the local Indiana Pacers basketball team. Adjacent to the restaurant is a free pop-a-shot basketball game.
This Bookstore
Airport concessionaire Hudson does a nice job with its Ink-branded shop selling books, magazines, and gifts in IND.
These Cute and Corny Souvenirs
Souvenir shopping is one our favorite things to do at airports. IND shops don’t disappoint.
Our ‘5 Things We Love About’ series highlighting features and amenities at airports around the world continues with London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW).
We have airport mascot Gary Gatwick to help highlight some of the amenities.
1. CONVENIENCE
Most travelers only think of Heathrow Airport when they think of booking flights to London.
But getting to central London from Gatwick Airport is really quite easy. And fast.
Gatwick is about 30 miles south of central London and the non-stop Gatwick Express rail service makes the trip to London’s Victoria Station in just 30 minutes. And Victoria Station is very centrally located.
On the train, travelers will find free Wi-Fi, power sockets, and places to store suitcases.
There’s even a “Delay Repay” offer if you’re arrival is delayed by at least 15 minutes.
Thameslink trains also make the journey easy from Gatwick Airport to London Bridge and other destinations.
2. HOTEL OPTIONS AT GATWICK AIRPORT
For quick naps or a freshen-ups once you land, the YotelAir London Gatwick Airport, located landside in the South Terminal, offers super-compact ‘cabins’ for stays as short as four hours.
Gatwick Airport also offers travelers the choice of staying overnight at the Sofitel London Gatwick or the Hilton London Gatwick, both owned by the Arora Group. We found rates at both hotels lower than at the corresponding properties at Heathrow.
3. FIRST AIRPORT GIN DISTILLERY
The world’s first airport distillery is at Gatwick Airport.
You’ll find it tucked in the corner of the Nicholas Culpeper Pub & Dining venue, which is located pre-security in Gatwick’s North Terminal.
The distillery produces small batch, bespoke London Gatwick Airport Gin that is used in many of the specialty cocktails at the restaurant.
If the distiller is on site, you might get even get invited in for a tour and a taste.
4. GOURMET DINING AT GATWICK
Juniper & Co, located post-security in the North Terminal, offera a menu featuring high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.
There’s a kid’s menu; a curated bar menu that includes a map showing how far away some the specialty gins, wines, beers, and juices are made; a breakfast menu; and an all-day menu with dishes using a wide range of locally-sourced ingredients.
Super fresh meals are made with salmon from H. Forman & Son (48 miles from Gatwick), Wells Farm bacon, sausages, and eggs (farmed 26 miles away), artisan bread freshly baked by Flour Station (60 miles from Gatwick), and a great cheese plate made with a great assortment of local cheeses.
5. AIRPORT MASCOT GARY GATWICK
For entertainment and engagement, Gatwick Airport has a mascot named Gary Gatwick.
A small version of the teddy bear mascot can be spotted out and about in the city, the region, and around the world. But in the airport, a full-size Gary Gatwick will often be found in the terminal and at special airport events.
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 pavilion is an 800-square foot glass-enclosed space on the first floor of the terminal. The space is designed to be a reading lounge where visitors can select a free book by authors featured by the Institute, download an author interview, and learn about the Institute’s programs and events.
In addition to Concourse Galleries and an exhibition case program that features information and artifacts from museums in the region, ALB airport has a dedicated 2,500-square gallery located pre-security on the third floor of the airport.
As a nice bonus, artwork in the curated gallery shows is often for sale.
Red Drift by Gina Ochiogrosso
3. The Observation Area at ALB
Albany International Airport has a pre-security observation area on the third level of the terminal. Part of the airport art gallery, the observation area offers views of the airport runways, the wings of the terminal, and, on a clear day, the southern Adirondack Mountains.
4. Flowers at ALB
Albany International Airport makes a point to have fresh flowers throughout the terminal. And lots of them. Starting at the curbside.
5. Shiny new facilities at ALB
Albany International Airport recently completed a multi-million dollar capital redevelopment project. Passengers will benefit from the new air traffic control tower, a new 230,000-square-foot terminal, and a new 1000-space parking garage with a pedestrian bridge to the terminal.
Did we miss one of your favorite features or amenities at Albany International Airport (ALB)?
If so, leave a note in the comments section below.
And be sure to take a look at the other airports in the “5 Things We Love About…” series. We’re adding a few new airports each week.
Our 5 Things We Love About series of airport guides celebrating some of the features and amenities at airports around the country and the world is growing longer.
PHL, just seven miles from downtown Philadelphia, first opened in 1940. Back then it was known then as Philadelphia Municipal Airport. Today PHL serves more than 32 million passengers a year with 25 airlines making 500 departures to more than 140 destinations worldwide.
Keep in mind that some of the amenities featured here may be temporarily unavailable due to health concerns. We are confident they will come back.
5 Things We Love About Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
1. Art and exhibitions at PHL
PHL’s award-winning art and exhibitions program is celebrating its 22nd year and you’ll find art at just about every turn.
We love the wall filled with posters of movies made in Philadelphia, such as Rocky (and the sequels), starring Sylvester Stallone; Dressed to Kill, with Michael Caine and Angie Dickinson, Blow Out, with John Travolta; Trading Places, Witness and more.
And we really love the temporary exhibitions PHL hosts as well as the permanent artwork, such as King Saladeen’s “Create Your Gold” (between Terminals C and D).
2. PHL ARTPORT LOUNGE
The ARTport Lounge in Terminal F is a colorful place for passengers to relax while waiting for a flight. The area features the artwork of Kyle Confehr, Martha Rich, Alloyius Mcilwaine and Lauren Cat West. There’s a popular sticker wall here as well as cornhole game boards.
3. PHL WAGGING TAILS BRIGADE
PHL’s Wagging Tails Brigade of therapy dogs launched in April 2019. The program includes 12 teams of volunteer dogs and handlers who walk the terminals to interact with passengers and reduce stress.
Each dog has its own trading card as well.
4. The PHL Book Exchange
Everything in PHL’s book exchange and seating area in Terminal A is recycled. The book exchange and seats are made of reclaimed wooden pallets, the plants are in recycled aluminum cans and water bottles, and the backdrop tiles are made from broken skateboard decks.
The books are “take one, leave one” and come from passengers and from the airlines, which donate books left onboard airplanes.
5. THE PHL POP-UP THEATER
The pop-up theater in Baggage Claim B showcases media/video by Philadelphia area youth who participate in various nonprofit programs.
Right now the features “Symphony for a Broken Orchestra,” an exhibition with broken musical instruments from the School District of Philadelphia, emphasizing the importance of music education in schools.
Did we miss an amenity you love at PHL airport? The rocking chairs? Perhaps the fact that you can order a cheesesteak in any terminal? The Philadelphia Zoo at PHL program? Or the on-property Marriott hotel connected via a skywalk to Terminal B?
Let us know in the comments section below. Which airport should we visit next?
