Airport shopping

Even more last-minute gifts to buy at airports

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Getting ready to travel for the holiday? Do you have all your gifts? Yesterday, Stuck at The Airport  shared a list of great gifts you can buy at airports shops.

Here are some more, from Jacksonville International in Florida and Hollywood Burbank Airport in California.

At Jacksonville International Airport, Made in JAX, located in the pre-security courtyard, offers a variety of items crafted by Northeast Florida artists and artisans from Jacksonville, Amelia Island and St. Augustine.

Amelia Island Marketplace, modeled after one of Northeast Florida’s most popular tourist destinations, has a variety of souvenirs for beach lovers and apparel from local sports teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp , Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles. 

At Hollywood Burbank Airport, there are adorable pet-themed gifts at Up, Pup ‘N’ Away in Terminal A. 

Have you found some great holiday gifts in airport shops this year? Share a photo if you can. 

11 gates open at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Terminal B

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New York’s LaGuardia Airport is in the midst of an $8 billion makeover and the first 11 gates are now open in the state-of-the-art Terminal B.

Airlines operating out of this new concourse include Air Canada, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. They’ll be joined by United Airlines in 2019.

The space includes soaring ceilings, a colorful children’s play area, charging stations throughout the seating areas and a nursing room.

The kids’ area has a 16-foot interactive display that allows users to design their own aircraft on a tablet and watch it come to life on a giant digital wall. Next to the kids area is an indoor green space with greenery, benches and plenty of natural light.

A slection of New York-inspired food, beverage and retail offerings include a branch of toy store FAO Schwarz and dining options such as Shake Shack, La ChulaBar & Taqueria (Mexican taqueria), Osteria Fusco (Italian), Kingside Bar & Restaurant, Irving Fam Coffee Roasters and Five Boroughs Market.

In-airport food and retail delivery service ‘At Your Gate’ is up and running in LGA Terminal B as well.

The terminal also has an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, with a United Club scheduled to open in 2019.

Other retail offerings include independent bookseller McNally Jackson, Hudson, LaGuardia Dufry Duty Free Shops, Spa Here, M∙A∙C,  and District Market, with specialty Made in Queens products.

“You’re going to love the new LaGuardia Airport,” New York governor Andrew Cuomo said in a tweet.

Snaps from Southwest Airlines’ new Terminal 1 at LAX

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Southwest Airlines has a new and improved 13-gate Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport.

The $516.7 million overhaul brings lots more light and seating, a more efficient centralized screening checkpoint and all new dining and retails outlets.

I was on hand for the celebration. Here are some snaps from the day:

 

Ribbon cutting for Southwest T1 at LAX

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly and Danny Trejo at Trejo’s Taco first airport branch.

In additon to Trejo’s Tacos, the dining and retail outlets include Urth Caffe, Cassell’s Hamburgers, Reilly’s Irish Pub, Rock & Brews, and Beaming Organic Superfood Cafe as well as Be RElax, I Love L.A., Treat Me Sweet, New Stand newstands, and SOL Surf. 

 

Courtest LAX

LA Original is the first shop passengers encounter when they leave the checkpoint and take the escalators up to the terminal. The shop showcases LA-branded locally designed, assembled or manufactured goods. Proceeds go to supporting the Downtown Women’s Center’s “Made by DWC” program that teaches job training and maker skills to women transitioning out of homelessness.

In addition to rotating art installations, the new Southwest T1 at LAX features this specially-commissioned, photo-friendly piece by Pilar Castillo.

Marvin Earl brings his complimentary shoe shine service to Southwest T1 at LAX. Morris Biggers was  delighted to be the first customer.

More snaps and info on Southwest’s new T1 at LAX to come.

(All photos by Harriet Baskas, except where noted.)

Party at Pittsburgh Int’l Airport

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Would you go to an airport if you don’t have to?  What is there’s a party going on?

On Saturday, Dec 1, for the fifth year in a row, Pittsburgh International Airport is holding a Holiday Open House in the post-security side of the terminal and inviting the non-flying public to join in.

Festivities will include a live performance by LoveBettie, a chance to create your own giftwrap, a visit by the National Aviary’s African penguin, a juggler, an artist doing airbrush tattos and, of course,  a visit from Santa.

Shops and restaurants will be offering special treats and discounts. And everyone gets free validated parking! Plus, there’s no sales tax on most clothing in Pennsylvania.

Beyond the party, this is a great time to see and learn about the art at the airport on a self-guided or guided art tour.

In addition to a shrine to Mister Rogers, who lived in Pittsburgh and produced his Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood program there, PIT’s art collection includes art prints by Pittsburgh-born artist Andy Warhol, a giant mobile by Alexander Calder, a Robot Repairt shop, and a large scale robotic figure named Arch.

Mr Rogers shrine at Pittsburgh Airport

Andy Warhol Wallpaper at PIT

PIT Calder Mobile

 Interested?  The party runs from 10 a. m. to 6 p.m.  To attend, non-ticketed guests must register in advance, arrive by 5 .m. and make to sure bring along a valid government-issued photo ID.

See you there!

More things to buy at airports. Plus an avgeek ornament

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If you’re spending a lot of time at airports over the next few weeks or shopping for ‘avgeek’ gifts, here are a couple of things I’ve found – so far – for a list I’m putting together.

This ornament ($10) made of tiny little airplanes is for sale on the Boeing Store site, part of the Jet Snowflake collection.

This adorable little box of raspberry gummies is for sale at the Frivolous shop at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, DTW.

And at Nashville International Airport, several brew pubs sell single bottle and six- packs of local beer to go.

More to come…

Souvenir Sunday: Holiday shopping at airports

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Getting ready to do some holiday shopping? Don’t forget airport shops, which often offer “street pricing.”  That means products purchased at airport shops cost no more than they do in town.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has once again put together a handy online Holiday Catalog to help travelers plan their airport shopping. Lots of Arizona-themed and locally-made items are listed in the catalog.  And, yes, cactus plants are regularly packed for travel.

In the Northwest, Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX) is a popular shopping destination for travelers and locals alike.

I head there from Seattle each year not only because Oregon have no sales tax, but PDX has a pre-security shopping area featuring branches of many popular local stores.

Here’s a selection of items that recently showed up in a PDX gift box I received. Included: shortbread cookies from Flying Elephants Delicatessen, a tote bag from Powell’s Books, a CD compilation of music by Portland-based artists, a whiskey sampling from House Spirits Distillery and a scarf, mug and socks from the Pendleton Woolen Mills. (Thank-you, PDX!)

 

During the holidays, not only do many airport shops have their most popular gifts wrapped and ready to go, many airports offer free gift wrapping for unwrapped items you may have tucked in your carry-on.

Heading to an airport during this holiday season? If you see something cool, unusual and locally-themed that you think would make a great gift, please snap a photo and send it along. If your item is featured on StuckatTheAirport.com, we’ll send you a travel-themed gift.

Souvenir Sunday at Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport

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Today is Souvenir Sunday, a day when we take a look at some fun, inexpensive, locally-themed items you can buy when you’re stuck at the airport.

This week’s souvenirs come from George Bush Interncontinental Airport, where shops sell a lot of astronaut and space-related items in honor of Space Center Houston.

We found a great addition to our collection of candy ‘poop’ which seems to be a staple of airport gift shops. Here we found green Alien Poop, right next to the Spaced Out Candy.

Souvenir Sunday needs you. If you find a fun, inexpensive, locally-themed item in an airport gift shop, please snap a photo and send it along. If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, you’ll receive a fun travel-themed gift.

Souvenir Sunday at Newark Liberty Int’l Airport

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Today is Souvenir Sunday, the day when StuckatTheAirport.com takes a look at cool, locally-themed gifts you can find at airports.

This week’s treats come from the SouveNEAR vending machines recently installed in Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport.

SouveNEAR’s  vending machines  at EWR are filled with t-shirts, jewelry, soaps, pins, patches, t-shirts, candy and a wide variety of other carefully-curated items made by New Jersey and New York artists.

Loop Collection

“We believe that travelers feel better buying gifts that support creativity and that are connected to the places they love,” said SouveNEAR co-founder Suzanne Southard, “We hope Newark passengers will feel great about supporting local creativity and taking home something that is really connected to this area.”

 

Statue of Liberty pin by The Weekend Movement

Bikes on 9th

Not heading to EWR anytime soon? Don’t fret.

SouveNEAR also has vending machines filled with local artist-made treasures in the Oakland Airport, in Missouri’s Kansas City International Airport, in the lobby of a Marriott hotel in Emeryville, CA and in the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco.

The prices for the vending-sized artworks range from $4 to $40 and most everything is also available online.

Souvenir Sunday needs your help!

If you see a cool, inexpensive, locally-themed item for sale in an airport shop, please take a photo and it along. If your sovuenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday we’ll send you a cool travel-themed souvenir.

Souvenir Sunday: Chubu Centrair Int’l Airport, Nagoya Japan

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It’s Souvenir Sunday, a day to take a look at some of the cool, inexpensive items you can buy when you’re Stuck at the Airport.

This week’s treats from the Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya, Japan, which I visited recently for a preview of the Flight of Dreams attraction the airport built around the first 787 Dreamliner test plane.

Courtesy Flight of Dreams

Read about the Flight of Dreams project in this recent post, but take a moment to scroll below to see the  fun souvenirs I spotted in the Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya.

Plush dolls portray the mascot of the airport in Nagoya, Japan

 

Aviation-themed stationary items for sale at the airport in Nagoya, Japan

Souvenir Sunday needs your help. If you see an inexpensive, locally-themed souvenir in an airport shop, please snap a photo and send it along to StuckatTheAirport.com. (Bonus points it the item is unusual or odd.) If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, we’ll send you a cool travel souvenir.

Phoenix Sky Harbor has a holiday gift catalog

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I’m a big fan of doing all my holiday shopping at airports and this year Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has made it super easy and ultra-enticing to head there to get presents for everyone on my list.

The airport has created its own holiday catalog featuring items available in the shops at Sky Harbor. Flip through the catalog and you’ll see the price, airport shop name and location listed with each gift idea.

Arizona-centric and local gifts are featured and you’ll find items from local retailers such as Bunky Boutique and Roosevelt Row, holiday cookies from Tammie Coe and growlers of local craft beer from O.H.S.O Brewery.

There’s even a page featuring cactus candy and a variety of Arizona-themed chocolate ‘poop’.

It is only Tuesday, but this airport holiday catalog is definitely in the running for Airport Amenity of the Week.