Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport

National Ice Cream Month is around the corner

July is National Ice Cream Month.

And the Stuck at the Airport team is team is getting ready for the holiday by taste-testing its way through this six-pack of Greater’s Ice Cream that arrived at the office.

So far, the limited-edition Hot Honey Crunch is our favorite.

We’ve been told that ice cream eaten at an airport has no calories.

We SO want to believe that, because a cup or a cone is often our go-to treat when we’re waiting for a flight.

We’re putting a call out for great airport ice cream shops so we can do a proper round-up once the holiday month gets underway.

So please leave a note in the comments section about your favorite places to get a scoop or a sundae at an airport.

(Here’s a link to the airport ice cream deals and celebrations we found last year)

In the meantime, here’s a deal for you at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) from Greater’s.

The Cincinnati-based, family-owned company started in 1870 and is well-known for handcrafting its ice cream 2½ gallons at a time. Back in 2016, they opened a storefront at CVG on Concourse A that is, as you might imagine, very popular with passengers.

For those passing through CVG this summer, we’ve heard from Greater’s that the airport shop will be carrying peach ice cream now through mid-August and offering the limited-edition strawberry sorbet starting July 1. Key lime pie ice cream will be in the shop starting August 1.

Better yet: If you download Graeter’s app and sign up for their “Sweet Rewards” program, you’ll get an offer for a free cone.

During National Ice Cream Month, Sweet Rewards members are promised a variety of other offers as well.

Where do you get ice cream when you’re Stuck at the Airport? Please leave a note in the comments section below.

(Photo courtesy Nationa Archives)

Happy Thanksgiving. Safe Travels

Here are some Thanksgiving items we spotted at airports this week. If you’re on the road or in the air, please travel safely.

Reno-Tahoe Airport’s Gratitude Wall is Back

LaGuardia Terminal B has its own Turkey Mascot

Gobble Down a Thanksgiving Dinner at O’Hare & Denver Airports

There’s a New Pop-Up Lounge at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

Cat Let Out of Checked Bag at JFK Airport

United Airlines’ Tasty Travel Tip

Airports have Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals Too

LAX & CVG Airport Bet on Super Bowl 2022

It could get ugly.

But so far, officials from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are being very civil about the wager they’ve made on whether the Los Angeles Rams or the Cincinnati Bengals will win Super Bowl 2022.

They’re calling it the Battle of Heartland vs. Hollywood. And, per the wager, the airport CEO of the team that loses Super Bowl 2022 will have to wear the QB jersey of the opposing team for a day.

We’re going to keep an eye on the Super Bowl competition on the field – and in the terminals.

In the meantime, for fans heading to Los Angeles for the Big Game, LAX has some travel tips to help you get there safely.

Sweepstakes in honor of CVG Airport’s 75th Birthday

This month Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is celebrating its 75th anniversary.  

The exact birth date was January 10, 1947. On that day, at 9:23 a.m., an American Airlines flight from Cleveland was the first plane to land. Minutes later the first Delta Airlines and TWA flights landed.

To celebrate the airport’s 75th anniversary and its growth over the years, CVG is hosting a year-long Travel Dream Sweepstakes through December 2022.

Monthly winners will be chosen to receive a minimum of a $500 travel voucher for flights from CVG Airport. You can enter the CVG sweepstakes here or at stations set up in the airport.

More Airports Share Holiday Cheer

Yesterday, we shared news of the Holiday Petting Zone and photo opp station at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Here’s a round-up of some more fun holiday events and activities we’ve spotted happening at airports.

Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) having fun with those holiday lights.

Gifts – and Robots – are on deck at CVG Airport

Also, Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) now has two robots on duty delivering food and retail items from the Tripadvisor store operated by Paradies Lagardere in Concourse B.

Passengers can order items from the store and have one of the fully autonomous delivery robots from Ottonomy, called Ottobots, make the fully contactless delivery to their location in the airport.

Customers receive status updates on their phones and a unique QR code. They can then scan by the robot’s top camera to open the secure compartment and retrieve their food. No attendant travels with the robots, which can deliver two unique orders per trip.

SFO’s Holiday Giveaway Still Happening

Delayed Xmas Flights? Vizzy Wants to Help

 Airports and air travel are expected to be quite hectic this season so keep an eye out for brands promising to ease your journey with their promotions.

Hard seltzer Vizzy will be doing just that December 21 – 23 with a Vizzy on us promotion.

Vizzy will host a pop-up at Denver International Airport at Concourse C near Gate C29 to provide travelers with drinks and will be offering Vizzy samples at Midway Airport at Concourse A near Gate A7.

During those days, travelers 21+ can visit www.vizzyholidelaydrinks.com to enter for the chance to receive one of 5,000 instant $8 prepaid cards for Vizzy Hard Seltzer drinks.

CVG: 5 Things We Love About Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

The “5 Things We Love About…” series on Stuck at The Airport celebrates features and amenities at airports around the country and the world.

Today we’re sending some love to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

If we miss an amenity at CVG that you love, please be sure to mention it in the comments section below. The same goes for nominating another airport for the series.

CVG: 5 Things We Love About Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

1. Miniature Therapy Horses that visit CVG

Many airports have teams of therapy dogs that come by to help destress passengers in the terminals.

CVG has a partnership with Seven Oaks Farm, which brings miniature therapy horses by the airport.

2. CVG’s Autonomous Floor Scrubbers and Vacuum Robots

CVG is serious about staying clean. So keep on the lookout for Neo, a floor-scrubbing robot made by Avidbots and vacuum robots from Softbank.

3. CVG’s themed Cincinnati Zoo play area

The Cincinnati Zoo partners with CVG to make a play area celebrating Fiona, the zoo’s celebrity hippo who gained fame for being the smallest hippo to survive being born six weeks premature.

4. History exhibits at CVG

In another charming community partnership, CVG features Cincinnati Museum Center exhibits – including the Mastodon in Concourse B.

5. Beer, Bourbon and Cute Souvenirs at CVG

Cork N’ Bottle and has several other establishments at CVG feature a wide variety of Kentucky bourbons. They love beer here, too. And the airport has partnered with the Christian Moerlein Taproom to make the bespoke JET CVG beer.

Need a souvenir? Of course you do.

Cincinnati’s unofficial mascot is a winged pig, which celebrates the city’s pork processing past.

CVG’s shops carry everything from piggy banks to chocolate pig “poop”.

One good reason to check a bag on your next flight

So many people are determined to travel with just a carry-on bag these days.

No fees and no waiting at the bag claim carousel are just two of the many good reasons for sticking with a carry-on only policy.

But here’s one good reason why you might want to check a bag next time you fly.

Prizes. And surprises.

On Monday, passengers on an arriving United Airlines flight at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) were greeted with a surprise welcome party at the bag claim.

Before spitting out real baggage, the bag carousel dispensed gift boxes with restaurant gift cards, socks, water tumblers, earbuds, holiday snacks, and more.

The party didn’t stop there.

Other travelers could visit the hot chocolate bar, snack on Graeter’s ice cream samples, and listen to carolers from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

And check out this gift-delivering Grinch.

And it looks like other airports have the same idea this holiday season.

Here’s a tweet from the Krakow Airport, showing gift bags arriving for passengers at the bag claim as well.

What do you think? Would the possibility of prizes at the baggage claim carousel make you rethink your carry-on only policy?

CVG Airport serving Jet CVG beer

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is now home to the Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom at CVG.

Opereted by HMSHost, the more than 1,600 square-foot full-service restaurant and bar is located at Concourse A by gate A15.

A local favorite, the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company opened in 1853 in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The new Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom at CVG brings a taste of the brewery’s heritage to the airport with both handcrafted brews and a menu that includes meat and cheese boards, salads, burgers, and other beer-friendly entrées.

Among the Christian Moerlein’s signature craft beers being served in a setting reminiscent of Cincinnati’s celebrated 19th century beer gardens is a special new brew called JET CVG.

Here’s the brewery’s description of the JET CVG beer:

It’s a German-style Schwarzbier beer that “jet” black in color with a light mouth feel and clean lager taste. It pays tribute to Cincinnati’s German brewing legacy featuring Old World Pilsner, Munich, Caramunich II, Carafa III, and Chocolate malts as well as German Hersbrucker hops. Aroma and flavor are a combination of roasted malts, slight coffee, and hints of tobacco. 

Sounds tasty!

Miami Int’l Airport and the Miami Hound Machine

The ‘Miami Hound Machine’ – a team of therapy dogs – is coming to Miami International Airport.

Miami International Airport’s new therapy dog program, charmingly called the Miami Hound Machine, is making its debut today.

The team’s five volunteer K-9 Ambassadors – Abbey, Belle, Dash, Donovan and Pico – and their owners will be on site today with airport officials for a press conference. The pups will then go to work inside Concourse D, visting with passengers and being cute.

Members of the Miami Hound Machine are all certified therapy dogs from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and will be on duty in the MIA terminals during peak travel periods.

Therapy dogs at airports are a growing trend. So are the types of animals on the therapy dog teams – San Francisco International Airport’s Wag Brigade has a pig (Lulu); Denver International Airport’s CATS program (Canine Airport Therapy Sqaud) has a cat named Xeli, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) often has a small herd of miniature horses stop by.

Have you encountered a member of an animal therapy team at an airport? Thumbs up or down?

Fresh arts/entertainment at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport

 A fresh program of live local art and entertainment offerings – “ArtsWave Presents” – begins today, March 16, at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and continues on Friday afternoons through May.

Here’s what’s on tap for the next few weeks.  

·         2-3 PM: Friday, March 16: Northern Kentucky University Philharmonic

·         2-3 PMFriday, March 30: James McCray Choral Ensemble

·        More to come  Fridays: April 6April 20May 4May 25

CVG, which is currently undergoing a $6 million terminal modernization project, is also displaying a nice collection of items from the Cincinnati Museum Center, including the spacesuit of Neil Armstrong.

And, of course, this is the airport that has miniature therapy horses come visit with travelers.