Here at Stuck at The
Airport we love two things: cool treats that come out of airport vending
machines (looking at you SouveNEAR
and Farmer’s Fridge)
and free stuff handed out in the terminals.
Today we have both:
For cupcake fans and those in need of something sweet at any hour of the day or night in the airport, Las Vegas, McCarran International has a Sprinkles vending machine that dispenses cupcakes 24 hours a day.
And, through March 31, passengers traveling through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on their way to Spring Training baseball games can pick up a free care pack filled with sunscreen, lip balm, sunflower seeds and other items that might be useful to have on hand during a baseball game.
The free AZ Care
Packs are being offered at the US
CareWays Airport Urgent Care center inside Drugs & More (Terminal 4/Pre-Security, near the C gates) to anyone showing an electronic or printed Spring Training
ticket.
Inside the kit you’ll
find sunscreen, lip balm, tissues, bug repellant, sunflower seeds, Big League
Chew gum and a luggage tag.
And for those who treat Spring Training season like Spring Break from college, the urgent care center is also offering discounts for passengers heading to or from Spring Training on services such as an IV Nutrient “Cocktail” Infusion with an immunity boost to prevent maladies such as dehydration, headaches and illness.
Monday, February 25, 2019 is National Chowder Day. To celebrate, the Pacific Northwest restaurant chain, Anthony’s, is giving away a free cup of chowder with each entree purchase.
One place to take advantage of this offer is at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which has an Anthony’s restaurant in the central terminal area overlooking the airfield.
The restaurant has been one of highest grossing and most popular dining spots at SEA airport for years, but the restaurant is closing at the end of March as part of the airport’s refresh of airport dining venues.
So, beyond the lure of free chowder on National Chowder Day, if you’re passing through SEA airport on Monday, February 25, 2019, this is a good time to stop in an enjoy a meal with a view at the airport Anthony’s.
Don’t throw out – or delete – your airline boarding pass once you tough down.
Here’s a story I recently put together for CNBC about all the hidden perks airline – and railroad – boarding passes can provide.
Bonuses for air travelers include everything from free ski lift tickets, to complimentary wine tastings and discounts on meals, ground transportation and adventures.
Some
of the deals below are offered for limited times or only during certain
seasons. Others can be used multiple times. Read the program details and, of
course, don’t be too quick to delete your boarding pass image from your phone
or crumple up that paper pass after your trip.
Ski free
Skiers can score a free lift ticket and, in some cases, free or discounted gear rental by showing an Alaska Airlines boarding pass at a dozen ski resorts in Alaska, California, Canada, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Utah. Most of the deals invite travelers to hit the slopes on the days they arrive or depart and can represent a savings of up to $200.
At
some resorts, such as Squaw
Valley and Alpine Meadows in North Lake Tahoe, California, guests
who show a same-day boarding pass from any commercial airline receive a
complimentary lift ticket for the day they arrive.
Sip and ship wine for free
In
Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of California, an Alaska Airlines boarding
pass is a win-win for fans of wine.
Through
the airline’s “Wine
Flies Free” program, members of the airline’s Mileage Plan frequent
flyer plan may check a case (12 bottles) of wine for free when flying
domestically on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air and SkyWest flights from 29 west
coast cities, including San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Boise, ID.
In
the wine regions of both Oregon and Washington, hundreds of participating
wineries also offer complimentary tastings to anyone showing an in-bound Alaska
Airlines boarding pass and proof of Mileage Plan membership.
And
as part of Washington’s Taste and Tote
program with Alaska, the drop-off fee will be waived for one-way Hertz rental
cars picked up in Yakima,
Pasco/Tri-Cities or Walla Walla and returned at one of the other two cities in
the program.
Boarding pass deals from
international carriers
Turkish
Airlines passengers with layovers of between six and 24 hours in Istanbul can
show their boarding passes at the Hotel Desk and join a
free highlight tour of the city.
Korean
Air’s Excellent
Boarding Pass program offers a full week of perks in Korea to
passengers who hold onto their international boarding pass from an overseas
region. Passengers traveling from Korea to an international destination can
take advantage of boarding pass offers for a full month.
In
Korea, the perks include discounts on everything from meals, attractions and
cultural performances to cell phone rentals, rail tickets and medical services.
Worldwide, the perks range from discounts at outlet malls in the United States
and 30 percent off single visits to the aquarium, zoo and other attractions in
Sydney, Australia.
Singapore
Airlines’ Boarding Pass Privileges program offers
Singapore Airlines and SilkAir passengers a full month of discounts on hotel
stays, car rentals, meals, purchases and attractions, including the Gardens by
Bay, the Singapore Flyer, and the Singapore Zoo. Deals are updated every six
months and include discounts on shopping, dining and spa services inside Changi
Airport as well.
The
Magic
Boarding Pass program from Asiana Airlines offers passengers
discounts on tours, transportation, hotels, restaurants, shopping, theater and
attractions around the world for up to a month after a flight. In Korea, the
perks include discounts at Seoul’s Lotte World Aquarium and JeJu’s Teddy Bear
Museum. In the U.S., Asiana Airlines passengers get a discount when riding the
Hawaii’s Waikiki Trolley. And in Rome, pass holders gets a free gift with
purchase at the Hard Rock Café.
Train travelers get boarding pass perks
too
The
boarding pass perks aren’t limited to air travelers. Amtrak and Eurostar riders
get bonuses too.
In California, Amtrak has
a discount offer on Disneyland Resort theme park tickets for passengers with
reservations on the Pacific Surfliner. Many
transit providers along the route also provide free
bus or shuttle rides to passengers who show their Pacific Surfliner
ticket. Train passengers may also purchase discounted day passes for the Los
Angeles Metro and San Diego MTS buses and trolleys in the Surfliner’s Café Car.
A “Car Free” promotion in
Santa
Barbara offers discounts on
tours, attractions and meals to Amtrak ticket holders as well.
And Eurostar boarding passes entitle passengers to 2-for-1 tickets on entry and special paid exhibitions at museums in destination cities including London, Brussels, Paris and Lille, France.
Have you found a hidden perk in your boarding pass? Let us know!
The fourth annual “hometown salute” features popular attractions, activities for the family, special guests and treats that showcase the region.
Here’s the line-up:
Wednesday, Sept. 26: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Professor Wylde Traveling Show will be on site with artifacts and appearances by a variety of zoo animals, including a bearded dragon, an armadillo, a hedgehog, a kookaburra, a sand boa and a python. Find them at Gate C4 and at the beginning of Concourse A.
Thursday, Sept. 27: From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Cleveland Indians’ beloved mascot, Slider, will visit with passengers and treat them to Malley’s CLE chocolate bars. (While they last.)
Friday, Sept. 28: Mitchell’s Ice Cream Social, with free scoops from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. inside the security checkpoint on Concourse B.
While you’re at CLE, be sure to check out the permanent and temporary art exhibits, including 10-ft tall versions of Fender Stratocaster guitars that have been transformed into works of art by local artists and national celebrities. (Cleveland is, after all, the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum).
And while at CLE, be sure to visit the baggage claim area to see an exhibit devoted to Superman. The caped hero was created in the early 1930s by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who lived near each other in Cleveland.