Heathrow Airport welcomed plenty of VIPs and tourists to town for the Coronation of King Charles III.
And to mark the occasion, Heathrow Airport commissioned London-based artist Morag Myerscough to design a commemorative luggage tag that is being handed out to travelers through May 10.
“Instinctively I knew a bold color-filled, joyful, positive approach to the luggage tag to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and the start of a new era was going to be my approach,” said Myerscough. “I marked the day with ‘CR III 2023’ and on the reverse depicting an abstract gateway to echo how Heathrow is the gateway to the UK and the world, welcoming people to start their adventures there and now to celebrate a new monarch.”
Are you jetting off from #Heathrow this weekend? 🛫
The tags are printed on the high-quality, recycled card by ‘the Royals’ favorite stationer’ Barnard & Westwood. This is the fine printing and bookbinding company that held a Royal Warrant under both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales, printing the orders of service for royal events such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding.
In addition to the luggage tags, Heathrow has been celebrating the King’s Coronation with live music, Coronation-themed cupcakes and Walker’s shortbreads, and special dishes in some of the restaurants. Look for the King’s Blini at the Caviar House & Prunier, Coronation Chicken at Pilot’s Bar & Kitchen, and the King Charles Burger at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen.
And head to Terminal 5 for the special Union Jack lighting that also celebrates the Coronation.
We've created something special for passengers departing from Terminal 5 to celebrate the #Coronation with our captivating Union Jack lighting scheme. 💜🇬🇧
In some cities, it’s all about the basketball playoffs right now.
But in Seattle, hopes are pinned on the professional ice-hockey team known as the Seattle Kraken.
The Seattle Kraken will play against the Dallas Stars in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And to celebrate, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is offering special fares to Dallas as well as sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets to Game 2 in Dallas.
Here’s the deal: through May 5, Alaska Airlines is offering
*$99 tickets each way between Seattle and Dallas – to either Dallas Love Field (DAL) or Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW);
*Priority boarding for any guests sporting Kraken gear at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport:
*And a chance to win two roundtrip tickets to Dallas and a pair of tickets to Game 2 of the second round of playoffs. Enter by retweeting the @SeattleKraken “I want to fly away” tweet.
Alaska Airlines is the official airline sponsor of the Kraken, and they’ve even added another flight to Dallas from Seattle on May 2 with flight number #9232 in honor of the NHL’s 32nd franchise.
(This is a slightly different version of a story we prepared for NBC News)
Over this holiday, the Transportation Security Administration is expecting to screen a near pre-pandemic number of passengers.
Many travelers will be visiting an airport for the first time in almost two years but will be pleased to find a wide range of free services and amenities at the ready to help ease the journey.
Security Checkpoint Reservations
Travelers who haven’t paid for expedited security lane access with a TSA PreCheck or CLEAR membership may still be able to skip the long lines. A handful of airports now host free programs that allow travelers to reserve a time slot for going through the security checkpoint during the busiest hours. Look for the SEA Spot Saver Program, the LAX Fast Lane, DFW’s Fast Pass Pilot Program, Newark Liberty International’s Virtual Lane, and Orlando International Airport’s Reservation Lane, operated by CLEAR.
Gate Passes
A handful of airports offer free gate passes to non-ticketed visitors who want to meet an arriving passenger, see someone off at the gate, or spend baggage-free time dining, shopping, or plane spotting in the terminal. Pass seekers apply online ahead of their visit and, if approved by TSA, go through standard security screening. Airports currently offering gate passes include Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), Bishop International (FNT) in Flint, MI, and California’s John Wayne Airport. The gate pass programs at Pittsburgh International and Tampa International airports are still on hold due to the pandemic.
Holiday Entertainment
Many airports have brought back free live concerts, performances, and other forms of entertainment just in time for the holiday season. For example, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) has a bright red mailbox set up to collect letters to Santa and promises a personalized response to anyone who includes their address.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has a robust holiday performance series underway, and the 25-foot-tall water feature in Terminal B at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is rotating in a holiday-themed show with its signature program
Movies and Games
At Dallas Forth International Airport (DFW) there’s a new, free interactive gaming experience at gate D-18 featuring a 40-foot-long media wall with a touchless tracking sensor.
The free 22-seat Hollywood Theatre Microcinema at Portland International Airport (PDX) has reopened, showing short films by Pacific Northwest filmmakers. (The films can also be viewed online). The free Video Arts gallery in the International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has reopened as well, showing four new films a month every 20 minutes or less in the gallery and online. Free short films are also screened at the See 18 Film Screen Room (by Gate C18) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
Free books and short stories
Reading is a great way to pass the time when traveling and a handful of airports offer passengers free reading material.
In Houston, there are two free Little Libraries at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and three inside Hobby Airport (HOU). Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has a book exchange corner in Terminal A West and a machine that dispenses short stories between Terminals D and E. Oakland International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, and Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) in Madison, WI, have short story dispensers too. And at San Jose International Airport (SJC), anyone can access the Pop-Up Library to download and access eBooks from the San Jose Public Library for free.
Free Airport Museums
In addition to permanent and changing art and history exhibits, airports in San Francisco, Miami, Phoenix, Albany, NY, and many other cities have free on-site museums and professional museum programs. For example, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is home to the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum, with its main exhibit up above baggage claim, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) recently reopened the Mitchell Gallery of Flight, a free aviation museum open 24/7 in the pre-security area.
More free airport amenities
Look around and you’ll find plenty of other free things to do at airports this season.
Free yoga rooms are available at airports in Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami. American Heart Association kiosks offering free training in lifesaving, hands-only CPR are operating again at many airports. And cute as a button teams of therapy dogs are out in force in dozens of airports this season offering stress-busting visits and accepting free pats and hugs.
This red Arrow Sport, one of only one of six known to still be in existence, was built by the Arrow Aircraft Company, of Havelock, Nebraska and now hangs in the terminal at Lincoln Airport (LNK) in Nebraska.
If you stop by the airport’s customer service desk, they will give you a free red foam glider plane in honor of the Arrow Sport.
The red Arrow Sport plane hanging in our terminal has become an iconic symbol at #LNK and one many love taking photos under. Next time you #FlyLNK stop by our Customer Service desk and nab yourself one of our new, red foam glider planes. #FlyLocal#RedPlanepic.twitter.com/svf5y1QJP7
LNK is also celebrating Halloween with free movies and a costume contest.
On Thursday, October 14, and Friday, October 15, LNK will be featuring the movie Hocus Pocus at its outdoor movie event. There will also be a Halloween costume contest.
Facebook and Instagram may have been down on Monday, but Twitter was there for airports to share news and fun tidbits. Here are some items that caught our attention.
Not vaccinated yet?
Please get with the program so you can travel safely. Many airports around the country make it easy to get the jab.
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY: COVID-19 vaccines are available this month at LAS. Don't miss your chance to protect yourself and your community.💉 pic.twitter.com/IhAh50wUGJ
— Harry Reid International Airport (@LASairport) October 5, 2021
Airports are celebrating National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month
To celebrate National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month we'll be spotlighting a few #Latino history making #aviators.
The red Arrow Sport plane hanging in our terminal has become an iconic symbol at #LNK and one many love taking photos under. Next time you #FlyLNK stop by our Customer Service desk and nab yourself one of our new, red foam glider planes. #FlyLocal#RedPlanepic.twitter.com/svf5y1QJP7
✨ TRAVEL BAG GIVEAWAY ✨ Ready to pack your bags? Enter for your chance to win one of ours! We're giving away a few of these awesome #SFO travel bags so you can be ready for your next trip. Enter 👇
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) October 4, 2021
Most museums around the country are open again and waiting for your visit. And while you will still want to wear a mask and keep your distance from other patrons when you do stop in, on Saturday, September 18 you may be able to visit your favorite museum for free.
Saturday is Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day, when many museums, attractions, and gardens around the country offer admission for free to anyone who has downloaded a free ticket.
For The Points Guy site, we put together this list of Air & Space museums on the free-ticket list that are certain to please avgeeks. You can read more about the museum in the article and search the Museum Day website for a participating museum near you.
Seattle, WA: The Museum of Flight (regular adult admission: $25) welcomes Museum Day ticket to the museum’s new exhibit, Stranger Than Fiction – The Incredible Science of Aerospace Medicine, and everything else in their vast collection.
Titusville, FL: American Space Museum (regular adult admission: $10): Exhibits include everything from spacecraft parts to astronaut suits and Soviet cosmonaut mementos.
Hutchinson, KS: Cosmosphere (regular adult admission: $24.50) In addition to having the largest collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow, this museum boasts a collection of U.S. space artifacts that it claims is second only to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Dallas, TX: Frontiers of Flight Museum (regular adult admission: $10). This museum on the southeast corner of Dallas Love Field and has more than 40 air and space vehicles, 20 galleries (including the Braniff Gallery, the Golden Age Gallery, and a gallery devoted to the history of Southwest Airlines).
New York, NY: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (regular adult admission: $33) is a legendary aircraft carrier and a National Historic Landmark that is big enough to house 28 aircraft, the space shuttle Enterprise, a British Airways Concorde, and Growler, the only guided missile submarine open to the public.
Airports are still spending lots of time and energy reminding passengers to wear their masks, wash their hands, and observe social distancing protocols.
But we are pleased to see that airports are also getting back to the business of promoting (OK, showing off) some great, unusual, and much-appreciated amenities.
*A two-fer from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) – a reminder of their “Flying Carpet” offering a birds-eye view of the area and their convenient CVS vending machine:
Know of a great airport amenity we could be celebrating? Drop a note in the comments section and we’ll check it out.
Did you know the Airport offers free goodies to the public year-round such as artistic and historic postcards and a large, take a book Library cart? #JAXAirportArtspic.twitter.com/CwlVpEbYQD
We missed you too, @Clearwatersea! But our passengers missed you most. ❤️ Airport lobster is back and we couldn't be more excited! 🦞 https://t.co/eFkRllDSfV
Did you know you can literally "walk" over the Sacramento area here at SMF? Flying Carpet (by Seyed Alavi), located in Terminal A, gives an awesome bird's-eye view of our beautiful landscape. pic.twitter.com/hGXFgq4WAe
— Sacramento International Airport (SMF) (@FlySMF) July 28, 2021
Forget to pack something for your trip? Run over to the Terminal A baggage claim, we have a @cvspharmacy vending machine for all your travel necessities! SMF is always looking for new ways to combine convenience and innovation to help better serve our travelers. pic.twitter.com/lnKzNirIB7
— Sacramento International Airport (SMF) (@FlySMF) July 19, 2021
June 18 marks 50 years since Southwest Airlines flew its first commercial flight and to celebrate the airline is giving away prizes through June 18 and celebrating all month long.
The Southwest Airlines Sweepstakes
Through June 18, anyone can enter the sweepstakes here for a chance to win prizes that include 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, or 50,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points.
We’ve been entering everyday, but so far we’re not a winner.
Be sure to enter the sweepstakes on June 18. That’s the day Southwest has dubbed “Wanna Get Away Day,” when the prizes – and the number of prizes awarded – balloon considerably.
On that day, you could win up to a million rapid rewards points, a $500 Southwest Airlines gift card, and a Companion Pass that lets you take someone with you every time you fly on Southwest Airlines.
The Party Goes On All Month
In addition to the sweepstakes, Southwest Airlines is hosting pop-up photo opportunities in 24 airport gate areas and rolling out Heart Carts full of swag and giveaways in more than 40 of its locations.
Southwest Airlines fans who want to celebrate with some swag can shop the Southwest Airlines online store for retro merchandise that includes a Retro Build-A-Bear wearing the airline’s original hotpants uniform.
We’re so close to getting on the vaccination list that we’re making lists of places we’d go if we could somewhere now.
Out for Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Here’s a great reason to vaccinated and head out for a snack.
Krispy Kreme is offering anyone who shows their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card a free Original Glazed doughnut every day this year.
Not getting vaccinated? You should. But Krispy Kreme says you can still get some free doughnuts if you stop by Mondays, 3/29/21 – 5/24/21. On those days they’ll be handing a free Original Glazed® doughnut and a medium brewed coffee.
We'd like to show sweet support to those who have received the COVID-19 Vaccine. Starting today, bring your Vaccine Card to a Krispy Kreme shop and get 1 FREE Original Glazed doughnut. No chance to get your Vaccine? This will run thru end of 2021. Info at https://t.co/gWnWhXOKKqpic.twitter.com/UqmDLne5E9
Paisley Park, Prince’s former estate and production complex in suburban Minneapolis, is now a museum and a recording studio. And on the fifth anniversary of this death – April 21 – Paisley Park will be opening the Paisley Park Atrium for free so that a limited number of fans can pay tribute to Prince and see the urn that holds his ashes. For those unable to visit in person, an online memorial will be available.
On the fifth anniversary of Prince's passing, we are opening our doors for fans to pay tribute and celebrate his life. The Atrium will be open for free visitation on Wednesday, April 21, from 9 AM–9 PM (timed entry; advance reservations are required). https://t.co/rQd75axzpR
While at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), we’d stop in at the Prince store too.
The Rocket Garden at Kennedy Space Center
Among the many great attractions at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Rocket Garden is said to be the most photographed.
This week the garden got it first new ‘planting’ since the early 2000s: The United Launch Alliance’s Delta Rocket II.
How does it land a spot here alongside rockets and space vehicles from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs?
Delta II rockets were industry workhorses, launching 155 times from 1989-2018. They carried satellites for the Global Positioning System (GPS) and put NASA’s rovers Spirit and Opportunity and the Phoenix Mars Lander into space.
If you’re flying somewhere on Valentine’s Day, we hope it’s on a flight that wings you to your sweetheart.
If not, take heart from some of the efforts airports and airlines will
be offering throughout the day.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will be giving out complimentary chocolates to passengers from world-renowned chocolatiers.
Southwest Airlines will be serving a free alcoholic drink for passengers 21 years older on Valentine’s Day and dishing out “surprise and delight” treats throughout the day.
Phoenix Sky Harbor and many airports around the country will be pressing their therapy dogs into service on Valentine’s Day.
Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) Pets Unstressing Passengers Program (PUP) and Southwest Airlines will team up for the annual “Flying Kisses” event on Friday, February 14 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Terminal 1, post-security.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) will be handing out boxes of Conversation Hearts on Valentine’s Day, along with airplane-themed valentines. Tampa International Airport (TPA), will be handing out blank Valentine’s Day cards as well.
To accommodate all the lovebirds that fly to Las Vegas to get married around Valentine’s Day, Nevada’s Clark County clerk’s office has a pop-up marriage license office in the Terminal 1 bag claim at McCarran International Airport (LAS) open through the end of the month. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
And Amtrak is having a buy-one-get-one-free sale in honor of Valentine’s Day from Thursday, February 13 through Monday, February 17. Customers can buy one coach ticket and get the second free for nationwide travel between March 9 and August 30, 2020, with no blackout dates. Use the code V214 at the Amtrak site.
