Denver International Airport

Sleigh the Layover at Denver International Airport

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This holiday season there’s a special airport lounge for Santa and other busy travelers at Denver International Airport (DEN).

And you don’t need airline status or a special invitation to gain entry into Santa’s Layover Lounge at DEN.

Instead, it’s a holiday pop-up bar open to all temporarily taking over an existing bar on the mezzanine level in the center core of DEN’s concourse B.

Stop by and you’ll find Santa’s Layover Lounge decorated for the holiday season with festive decor, reindeer, a giant snowman and Buddy the Elf.

The menu includes holiday-themed cocktails such as the Winter Wonderland Cosmo, the Gingerbread Old Fashioned, the Polar Expresso Martini, the Feliz Navidad (made with tequila, agave, apple cider and cinnamon), the Mule-Tide Carol and the Pa Rum Pa Rum Punch.

There’s also a decadent hot chocolate bar with a buffet of toppings that includes peppermint and gingerbread syrup, Christmas sprinkles, whipped cream and tiny marshmallows.

Menu options at Santa’s Layover Lounge at DEN include breakfast sandwiches, sandwiches and personal-sized pizzas named for (but not made of) Santa’s dedicated team of reindeer.

Santa has been stopping by the pop-up lounge during his pre-Christmas travels. We just missed him on Tuesday but got a tip from one of Santa’s elves that he’ll be back on December 23rd from 4-6 pm.

Santa’s Layover Lounge at Denver International Airport is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Visit Santa’s Layover Lounge at Denver Int’l Airport

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A pop-up bar dubbed Santa’s Layover Lounge is now open at Denver International Airport (DEN), just in time for what’s expected to be a record-breaking holiday travel season.

Lounge 5280, on the mezzanine level of Concourse B, in the Center Core, has been transformed into a festive holiday pop-up bar with decorations, themed cocktails, a hot chocolate bar and holiday-themed food.

Menu highlights include pizzas named for reindeer ( not made from reindeer…) such as the Prancer Pizza which has a brie spread, fig jam, prosciutto and arugula. Desserts include pumpkin pie and the holiday cocktails include the Polar Expresso Martini and the Winter Wonderland Cosmo.

“Selecting Denver International Airport to host my first-ever layover lounge was a no-brainer,” said Santa Claus, “Its geographic location, unique offerings and amazing customer service really are ideal.”

Holiday characters will be making surprise appearances at Santa’s Layover Lounge, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through Janurary 5, 2025.

As a nice bonus, Santa has partnered with DEN and Skyport Hospitality for this lounge and donations made on-site to the Make-A-Wish Foundation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000.

We’re nominating Santa’s Layover Lounge at DEN Airport as Airport Amenity of the Week.

Old Southwest Airlines seats = cool stuff

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Southwest Airlines has been in the news lately for the carrier’s decision to end its open seating policy, add premium-style seating and begin flying red-eye flights.

So, it’s a good time to look at another Southwest Airlines seating story. This one is all about what the airline has been doing with old aircraft seat leather.

After a seat refresh in 2014, Southwest Airlines had 43 acres of surplus seat leather. Rather than throw it in the landfill, the airline created the Repurpose with Purpose program.

The ongoing program not only recycles and repurposes Southwest Airlines’ old seat leather, but it also provides employment, skills training and other community benefits.

Through October 2024 an exhibit at Denver International Airport (DEN) displays some of the diverse and creative items being made.

Look for the exhibit at DEN Airport on Concourse C, Mezzanine (upper level), and at Baggage Claim 1, East Side.

Free mini-golf at Denver International Airport

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We’re not quite sure how we missed this, but Denver International Airport (DEN) is once again hosting a free mini-golf course throughout June.

The golf course is between the Jeppesen Terminal and The Westin Hotel in the pre-security area.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

DEN airport’s Park on the Plaza is also back in operation for the summer and looks like a great place to hang out before, after or between flights.

Travel Tidbits for the holiday weekend

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 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects to screen more than 18 million passengers at U.S airports over the Memorial Day travel period, which stretches from May 23 to May 29, about 6.4% more than in 2023.

If you’re one of the holiday travelers, here are some fresh art and amenities to look for at airports along the way.

Art at LAX Airport

It’s been about a year since LAX finally created an airside connection between all its terminals. That means ticketed passengers don’t have to go back through security to make a connecting flight in another terminal and can access all of the airport’s shops, dining venues and art.

Among the newest art installations at LAX is “Flora (Flores amplificati), by Laura Hull.

For the installation, Hull digitally manipulated and layered photographs of plant life commonly found in Southern California to create a digital mural printed on vinyl. Look for it in the hallway that connects Terminals 1 and 2 post-security.

Find a full list of all the permanent and temporary artwork at LAX on the LAX Art Program site.

(Laura Hull, “Flora (Flores amplificati),” Courtesy Los Angeles World Airports)

Beer – and more – at Bradley International Airport (BDL)

Beercode Kitchen & Bar has opened at Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford, CT just in time for the busy holiday weekend. The gastropub is open in the Gates 21-30 concourse and is the first sit-down restaurant on that concourse. It’s open by 4 am daily for breakfast and has a lineup of local craft beer and other beverages.

Creatively Remade art objects at Denver Int’l Airport

Denver International Airport’s (DEN) newest exhibition, Creatively Remade: Upcycled Art and Design, features a wide range of art, fashion and functional objects made from materials that would have otherwise been discarded. 

The exhibit stretches through several areas of the airport, including Ansbacher Hall (before A-Bridge security), Concourse B East between gates B60 and B62, on level three of Concourse C, and east and west baggage claim.

Here are just a few of the pieces you might see.