Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Love the Layover: Detroit Metro Airport’s new North Terminal

Openings,

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW’s) officially opens its new North Terminal on Wednesday, September 17th (2008) with 35 brand new shops and restaurants, including a few “firsts” and special features.

Here’s a preview:

Look for the first airport locations for the Earl of Sandwich and Ruby Tuesday restaurant as well as the first branded Sports Illustrated retail store, which will have electronic kiosks for accessing sports information and sell branded merchandise of the area’s professional (Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons, Lions) and college (Michigan State University and the University of Michigan) teams.

Sports – and film – fans might also enjoy the Hockeytown Café, which will pay tribute to Detroit’s hockey history, and the Legends Bar, which will feature art glass panels that honor great heroes of Detroit such as Joe Lewis, and Gordie Howe – as well as Golden Era of Hollywood figures like Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo and more.

In addition to food courts, delis, news stand and gift shops, the new North Terminal will also have a Brookstone store, Zoom vending ‘stores’ stocked with electronic items and accessories, and a branch of XpresSpa, offering massages and reflexology services, as well as salon treatments such as manicures, pedicures, facials, and waxing.

Here’s a link to a readable version of the terminal map below.

Finishing touches at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) North terminal

Openings,

The new North Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) will open for business on September. 17th, but airport officials are already showing it off.

Last Friday there was VIP Preview and Charity Benefit for about 1,000 guests with the proceeds going to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, First Step, The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and Traveler’s Aid Society of Metropolitan Detroit.

Then on Saturday, Sept. 6, the airport held an open house. More than 10,000 people showed up.

No doubt lots of those folks wanted to see the new terminal, but I bet some people came for the live entertainment, the games, and for the chance to win a plane load of gas in gas cards, a trip to Walt Disney World, round trip airline tickets and other prizes.

Right now the new North Terminal is still called simply the new North Terminal. Naming rights for the building have been up for auction – but it seems that so far there are no takers.

When it opens, the new North Terminal will be used by Air Canada, American Airlines, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, USA 3000, and charter airlines. Northwest Airlines and SkyTeam(TM) partners AeroMexico, Air France, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, will remain in the McNamara Terminal.

Airlines cut flights; airports open new terminals

Economy, Openings, , ,

Three new terminals and at least one fresh new airport are set to open in the United States this fall. With all the news about airlines cutting flights and eliminating service, let’s hope someone will get to enjoy these new facilities.

The new 26-gate North Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) opens for business on September 17th. Before airplanes start pulling up to the gates, the airport is hosting a free open house (Sept. 6th) with music, dance, games, a scavenger hunt, and prizes that include “a plane load of gas in gas cards,” airline tickets, and a trip to Disney world. The day before that party (Sept 5) there will be a charity preview event inside the terminal to benefit five local non-profit groups. On tap: dinner, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Quartet and live entertainment.

(DTW North Terminal: courtesy DTW)

Opening elsewhere this fall:

Oct 1: JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK);

Oct 26: Terminal 2 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU); and

Nov 11, the new Indianapolis International Airport (IND), just down the road from the old one.

Save a life on a layover at Detroit Metro Airport

Safety

AEDs – Automated External Defibrillators – are standard items at airports these days and there have been plenty of instances where these devices have made the difference in saving lives.

Do you know how an AED works? I don’t and I should. We all should. And if you have a few minutes to spare at Detroit Metro Airport today or tomorrow (June 5 o r 6th) you can learn how.

To mark National CPR/AED Awareness Week, the Southeastern Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross will be at the airport showing folks how to use an AED. For free! If you’re there, I urge you to stop by. The life you save could be …. mine!

Look for the display table by the water feature, post-security, in the McNamara Terminal.

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